France renews rules for culling damage-causing wildlife species

The French Ministry for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Climate and Nature Negotiations has published a new order setting out the list, periods and methods for destroying animal species classed as “susceptible d’occasionner des dégâts” (likely to cause damage). The arrêté of 10 August 2026, published in the Journal officiel de la République française (JORF) n°0194 of 21 August 2026, applies article R. 427-6 of the code de l’environnement and repeals the previous order of 3 August 2023.

The text, identified by reference NOR TECL2619337A, fixes the species and the territories concerned for each department in an annex, and sets out the general conditions under which these animals may be trapped, shot or dug out. It directly concerns hunters, farmers and animal-protection associations, which had contested the previous framework.

Species covered and general rules

The order covers nine species, each with its own destruction regime:

• Belette (Mustela nivalis), fouine (Martes foina) and martre (Martes martes) — may be trapped all year, but only within 250 metres of a building, a private or professional livestock farm, or on poultry- or (for the marten) bee-keeping land.
• Renard (Vulpes vulpes) — may be trapped anywhere all year and dug out with or without a dog; shooting requires individual prefect authorisation.
• Corbeau freux (Corvus frugilegus) and corneille noire (Corvus corone corone) — may be shot between the general close of hunting and 31 March, extendable to 10 June and, for serious agricultural damage, to 31 July.
• Pie bavarde (Pica pica) — shooting on individual authorisation, with the same possible extensions; trapping all year in defined zones.
• Geai des chênes (Garrulus glandarius) — shooting between the close of hunting and 31 March; trapping in orchards and vineyards at set periods.
• Étourneau sansonnet (Sturnus vulgaris) — shooting between the close of hunting and 31 March, extendable to the general opening of hunting; trapping all year.

Conditions and safeguards

Shooting of most species is carried out at a fixed, man-made post without a dog, and shooting into nests is prohibited. Destruction may also be carried out using birds of prey for falconry, subject to article R. 427-25 of the code de l’environnement and the order of 8 October 2018. Any animal accidentally captured that does not belong to a classed species must be released immediately.

The order also suspends destruction by shooting, trapping or digging in plots where preventive chemical control against vole overpopulation is under way under the order of 14 May 2014. Individual authorisations may be granted to a legal person delegated the right of destruction under article R. 427-8 of the code de l’environnement.

Department-by-department annex

Article 4 allows specific, more restrictive destruction conditions for certain departments, set out in the annex. The annex lists, for each department, the species concerned and the exact territories — for example, in the Ain (01) the fox, stone marten, rook and carrion crow are classed across the whole department, while in the Aisne (02) the pine marten is limited to a long list of named communes.

The order, signed on 10 August 2026, is executed by the director of water and biodiversity and the departmental prefects, each within their remit. For hunters planning the coming season, farmers protecting crops and livestock, and associations monitoring the treatment of wildlife, the new framework sets the legal boundaries for culling damage-causing species until it is next revised.

Source: Journal officiel de la République française, n°0194 of 21 August 2026, arrêté of 10 August 2026 (official reference: NOR TECL2619337A).