The State of Vorarlberg on the Internet

Protected animals in Vorarlberg
(in accordance with the regulations of the State Government for the implementation of the law on environmental protection and landscape development – environmental protection regulations)

Protection of animals
In general, wild animals must not be intentionally disturbed, hunted, captured or killed.  Their breeding grounds and nests must not be removed or destroyed.

Protection of mammals
All types of wild mammals are protected with the exception of the water vole, the house mouse, the field mouse and the rat. Game may be hunted within the limits of the legal stipulations regarding hunting.

Protection of birds
All species of wild birds are protected.  The hunting of certain species of birds is permitted, in accordance with the terms of hunting legislation.

Protection of other animals
The following are protected:

• All reptiles and amphibians
• The following fish: bitterling (Rhodeus sericeus amarus), bullhead, loach and stroemer (Leuciscus souffia).
• The following insects: butterflies, hornets, bees, hill-building forest ants, mayflies, robber wasps, yellow ascalaphids and beetles, with the exception of house beetles and food pests.
• The following invertebrates: edible snails, narrow-mouthed whorl snails, fresh-water mussels, painter’s gapers, common swan mussels and greater swan mussels.
• The following crabs: stone crayfish and white-clawed crayfish.
  

Protection of natural habitat
For the protection of the habitats of threatened animals and plants the following applies:

• Reed banks and herbaceous covering may not be burned off.
• In the period from 15 March to 30 September hedgerows and reed banks may not be cut outside of built-up areas.
• Herbicides may not be used on meadows except to kill individual plants.
• When spreading fertilizer, sufficient distance must be maintained from waterways, their natural shore vegetation, moors, natural meadows, hedgerows, forests and drystone walls to avoid damaging these.
• All citizens are required to behave in an environmentally-conscious manner.  Care must be taken to protect nature, animals and the countryside, particularly during leisure activities.  This applies particularly to our largely undisturbed landscapes and sensitive habitats.
• The dumping of refuse in the countryside is prohibited.

Environmental management officers, woodland managers, authorities responsible for the maintenance of the closed hunting season, fisheries inspectors and nature conservation officers of the districtl authorities provide advice, monitor compliance with statutory regulations and report on any violations.
 

Picture gallery of protected species:
left: from top to bottom

• Edible snail
• Water frog
• Black-tailed godwit
• Adder
• Kestrel
• Miller’s water shrew
• Stroemer
• Dormouse
• Swallowtail larvae
• Swallowtail
• Yellow ascalaphid
• Broad-bodied chaser
• Musk beetle
• Vine hawk moth
• Tree frog
• Copper-coloured sandpiper

right: from top to bottom

• Common dormouse
• Spotted woodpecker
• Oak weevil
• Squirrel
• Kingfisher
• Common wasp beetle
• Golden-ringed dragonfly
• Greater curlew
• Bluethroat
• Grasshopper
• Berger’s clouded yellow
• Hedgehog
• Hawfinch
• Lapwing
• Lesser horseshoe bat
  

Pictures: Markus Grabher/umg, Max Granitza, Timo Kopf, Ingrid Loacker/umg, Walter Niederer, Guido Reiter, Manfred Waldinger, Archive inatura und Stadt Bregenz