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Peer-Reviewed Study Finds France's Year-Round Wildlife Culls Ineffective and Costly

The findings increase pressure on the government before a new ESOD list expected this summer.

Overview

  • The Muséum national d'histoire naturelle reports in Biological Conservation that mass elimination of ESOD-listed species does not reduce reported economic damages.
  • Using 2015–2022 public data, the study finds that increasing culls failed to cut damage claims, and stopping them did not cause claims to rise.
  • Researchers estimate annual control costs at €103–€123 million, compared with €8–€23 million in declared damages.
  • About 1.7 million foxes, mustelids and corvids are killed each year under the ESOD regime, yet breeding populations for several listed birds did not decline.
  • Administrative and legal scrutiny has mounted, including a late-2024 inspectorate call for reform and a 13 May 2025 Conseil d'État request to remove the pine marten from the list.