Italien – 30. 07. 2026

Court Halts Turtle Dove Hunting in Sicily

30.07.2026

Due to a court ruling, turtle doves may not be hunted in Sicily for the time being! The hunting season in Italy always begins on the third Sunday in September—this year, September 20. The endangered turtle dove is among the first species to migrate to Africa in late summer—when it flies over Sicily, hunting is not yet permitted. To allow hunters to shoot these coveted migratory birds anyway, the Region of Sicily permits the hunting season to start earlier each year. That won’t happen this year, however, because the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), together with its Italian partners Green Impact, Federazione Nazionale Pro Natura, and LEAL, filed a lawsuit against the early start and won the case!