A three-year-old girl’s innocent question during a scooter ride in Switzerland led to a disturbing discovery that is now fueling debate over local hunting practices and wildlife management. Kristina and her daughter Eleyna encountered a collection of dead foxes on the Frauenfeld Allmend Thursday, prompting a stark conversation about death and raising concerns about the methods used to protect local infrastructure from flood damage. The incident highlights the challenging balance between conservation efforts and the emotional impact on those who encounter the realities of wildlife control.
- A three-year-old girl discovered dead foxes during a walk.
- Her mother found the sight barbaric.
- A game warden explained the hunt as a measure for flood protection.
A mother and her three-year-old daughter made a disturbing discovery during a recent outing in Switzerland, sparking questions about local hunting practices and wildlife management. The incident highlights the complex relationship between conservation efforts and the emotional impact of encountering animal deaths.
On Thursday, Kristina, 31, and her daughter Eleyna, 3, were riding scooters on the Frauenfeld Allmend when Eleyna spotted something that caught her attention. “Mommy, look, foxes! Can I pet them?” she asked, interrupting their ride. Kristina looked in the direction her daughter pointed and was shocked to find a box containing several foxes. “There were four to six animals, stacked on top of each other in layers,” Kristina told 20min. Nearby, they found a sign reading: “Caution Driven Hunt.”
Warden Explains Hunt
Werner Künzler, game warden and chairman of the Felben-Wellhausen hunting district, confirmed that a hunt took place in his district last week. “We have been tasked with culling foxes, muskrats, and badgers. These animals burrow into the dam and thus increase the risk of flooding,” Künzler explained. He said the public was informed about the hunt with warning signs at each access point to the Allmend and through the municipal gazette.
“When there are hunting warning signs, one must expect that killed animals may be lying around.”
Künzler said a total of three deer and five foxes were shot on Thursday, and the foxes were later taken to a collection point for carcasses. “It’s hardly worth skinning foxes, as even fur is unpopular,” he added, referring to the practice of removing the pelt.
Have you ever seen a fox in the wild?
The discovery of the foxes continues to affect Kristina and her daughter. “We drove past the Allmend, and she just said, ‘That’s where the foxes were, are they alive now?’ I had to explain to her that they were dead, which is very difficult for a girl her age to process,” Kristina said. She added, “The experience was painful for me as well, and I sincerely hope that unnecessary killing will disappear from our society in the future.”
Kristina questions the justification of killing animals for dam protection, suggesting more targeted and animal-friendly measures such as dam reinforcement or barriers. She also wonders if the hunt was truly about flood prevention or simply the enjoyment of the chase.
Game warden Werner Künzler emphasized the legal obligation to support agriculture and forestry. Hunters must cover 15 percent of the costs associated with damage caused by wildlife, such as deer.
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