WILDLIFE AND BIODIVERSITY, HISTORIC APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONSTITUTION TO THE CGARS: PRE-SEASON HUNTING OF WILD TURTLE DOVES IN SICILY BLOCKED

04/09/2026

WILDLIFE AND BIODIVERSITY, HISTORIC APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONSTITUTION TO THE CGARS: PRE-SEASON HUNTING OF WILD TURTLE DOVES IN SICILY BLOCKED

The Council of Administrative Justice upholds the arguments put forward by LEAL and Pro Natura: the precautionary principle and the protection of biodiversity take precedence over hunting interests. The Sicilian Regional Government has been heavily criticised for its Wildlife Plan, which expired over seven years ago.

PALERMO, 4 September 2026 – A significant legal and civil victory for the protection of wildlife and the environment in Sicily. With Order No. 296/2026 (published today), the Administrative Justice Council for the Region of Sicily (CGARS) has confirmed the ban on early-season hunting of the Eurasian turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur), a species in a critical state of conservation, rejecting the appeals on this point lodged by the Sicilian Regional Government and the main hunting associations. The ruling – secured following legal action brought by LEAL (Anti-Vivisection League ETS) and the National Pro Natura Federation APS, with the support of Cabs and Green Impact – sets a precedent of extraordinary significance for the entire environmental and animal welfare movement.

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Read the Press Release (translated with AI) here