Ben Madilynn
The Environment Agency wants to change the law so it is only obliged to assist protected species in distress, rather than all animals, to save resources.
The agency believes the current wording of the Nature Act and the Hunting Act leads the public to think it must help all animals in trouble.
“The state information line 1247 also receives calls about spiders that have fallen into bathtubs, raccoons with sad eyes encountered in nature, and similar situations where, in reality, it is the caller who needs help. There are many reports about so-called urban animals and animals showing signs of illness, which, in fact, are not helpless at all,” the agency said, giving several examples.
The law obliges both the Rescue Board and the Environment Agency to help animals, but the latter is usually called first. As an immediate response is usually expected, this has become costly for the agency.
“Most of our resources have been spent dealing with non-protected species due to public pressure to intervene. A significant portion of resources is also used for communicating with the caller and determining the specifics of the situation,” the Environment Agency pointed out.
The agency is now calling for the wording to be adjusted in the Nature Protection Act to state it only assists protected species. Other animals can be left to local governments or voluntary associations.
According to the proposal, the Rescue Board’s responsibility would cover situations that pose a threat to people’s lives, health, or property. It would continue to respond in cases where a wild animal is in distress and specialized equipment is required to resolve the situation.
Data from the Environment Agency’s 2023 review shows the lion’s share of calls connected to animals in distress involved seagulls. Birds in urban areas were reported to have leg or wing injuries or were unable to move or fly.
The 1247 phone line receives more than 3,600 reports about animals in distress each year, and more than half of them come from Harju County, which includes Tallinn. The majority are made about seagulls
Protected species account for less than a fifth of reports, but they are the agency’s priority.
At the same time, the current wording of the law does not give the agency much discretion in deciding which species or individuals to respond to, or in organizing the transport, treatment, rehabilitation, and release of animals into the wild.
Due to a lack of resources, the agency already has to make decisions about whom to help and which animals to leave in the care of nature.
“However, making such decisions carries the risk of public backlash, with accusations of failing to fulfill legal obligations,” the agency stated.
There are also more reports made about helpless animals, but due to cuts, fewer will be helped in the future.
The Environment Agency stressed that intervention in the lives of wild animals must be well-considered and justified – human involvement in natural processes should be minimized, and not every wild animal requires human assistance.
“Injuries, illnesses, and similar conditions are a natural part of how nature functions, and if an animal is not in distress due to human activity but rather for natural reasons, intervention is not necessary. Injured or deceased animals play a crucial role in the diet of predators, scavengers, and decomposers,” the agency said.
On Wednesday, Antti Tooming, deputy secretary general of biodiversity and environmental protection at the Ministry of Climate, informed the Association of Estonian Cities and Rural Municipalities about the Environmental Board’s proposal. Feedback is now awaited.
Tooming also highlighted a proposed amendment to give local governments the right to manage nests and eggs of non-protected birds. This would include making decisions on intentional destruction or disposal…
He noted that in densely populated areas, most requests concern seagulls, crows, songbirds, and thrushes. There are up to 50 such cases annually, and 20 to 30 permits are issued each year.
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