Italian politician says Trump Jr shot rare duck in Venice
ROME: An Italian regional politician said on Tuesday he had reported the son of US President Donald Trump for allegedly killing a protected species of duck while hunting in Venice lagoon.
Veneto region counsellor and environmentalist Andrea Zanoni said an online video from Field Ethos — published by the younger Trump and marketed as a 'premier lifestyle publication for the unapologetic man' — showed 'some people, including Donald Trump, Jr, killing various ducks.'
'In the video, Trump Jr is seen with a Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) in the foreground — a duck that is very rare throughout Europe and protected by the European Union Birds Directive and Italian wildlife protection law,' Zanoni wrote on social media.
Zanoni said killing the protected bird was a crime.
Neither Zanoni nor Trump Jr immediately responded to a request for comment from AFP.
In the video, republished by the Corriere della Sera daily, Trump Jr is seen shooting at ducks from a shelter before addressing the camera.
'Great morning, lots of widgeon, teal. This is actually a rather uncommon duck for the area. Not even sure what it is in English,' Trump Jr says, pointing to an orange-brown duck among at least six other dead waterfowl around him.
Zanoni said he had filed a question to regional authorities to know 'what sanctions it intends to impose.'
He asked if these would include suspending or revoking the license of the wildlife shooting company 'and those responsible for acts in violation of Italian and European regulations.'
Zanoni said the video was filmed recently in the Pierimpie valley south of the city of Venice, a special conservation area protected by European regulations that is known as the Middle Lower Lagoon of Venice.
Regional hunting and fishing counsellor Cristiano Corazzari told Italian broadcaster Rai that Trump Jr had been invited to hunt in a 'privately-owned area' within the reserve, and had received permission.
'We have verified, the papers are all in order,' he said, without mentioning the shooting of a protected species of duck.
Italy's Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin has requested a detailed report on the incident.
The Ruddy Shelduck spends the winter in South Asia and migrates to southeastern Europe and Central Asia to breed.
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