Culling so-called "harmful" animals doesn't work: study reveals cost 8 times higher than damage caused

For years, this was seen as an almost automatic solution: eliminate animals deemed as harmful to reduce economic losses. But today, this certainty is shaky, and not just from an ethical point of view, but also from a scientific one. A study by the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, published in the journal Biological Conservation, calls into question the whole system of managing species considered 'harmful'.

The figures are hard to ignore. In France, every year, around 1.7 million animals - foxes, mustelids, magpies and crows - are culled. The aim is to limit the damage caused to agriculture and other human activities. Yet, according to the study, the total cost of these operations is between 103 and 123 million euros per year, while the actual damage does not exceed 8 to 23 million.

The more you cut down, the less you solve the problem

Economics are only part of the problem. The most striking aspect concerns the very effectiveness of this strategy. The researchers analyzed seven years of data, cross-referencing the number of animals killed with the damage reported in different territories. The result is clear: killing more animals does not reduce damage.

In some cases, the relationship even seems to be reversed. An increase in culling is followed, the following year, by an increase in damage, a sign that the system is not working as intended. What's for more, the interventions are not even targeted. The areas most affected are not necessarily those where culling operations are intensified, making the whole policy disorganized and ineffective.

Ecosystems more complex than we think

Another key factor is the stability of animal populations. Despite large-scale culling, many species maintain globally stable numbers over time. This is the case for several of the birds studied, but also for the red fox, which has already been analyzed in previous studies. This is because ecosystems react.

When a population is reduced, natural compensatory mechanisms are put in place: increased reproduction, displacement and adaptation. As a result, human intervention loses its effectiveness. At the same time, the ecological benefits of these species are ignored. Corvids help to spread plants, while predators such as foxes and mustelids (weasels, etc.) regulate rodent populations, thus indirectly protecting crops.

Towards a new approach

In the light of these data, more and more experts are calling for a paradigm shift. It's not a question of denying the problems, but of tackling them differently. Non-lethal strategies, such as crop protection systems or deterrents, could reduce damage without upsetting the natural balance. To continue along the current path is to invest significant resources in a solution that, on the basis of facts and figures, does not work.

Source : MNHN

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