Italian politician says Trump Jr shot rare duck in Venice
A politician from Italy's Veneto region said on Tuesday he had denounced Donald Trump Jr to authorities for allegedly killing a protected species of duck while hunting in Venice lagoon.
Regional counsellor and environmentalist Andrea Zanoni said an online video from Field Ethos -- published by Trump Jr and marketed as a "premier lifestyle publication for the unapologetic man" -- showed "some people, including Donald Trump Jr, killing various ducks".
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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 said killing the protected bird was a crime.
Neither Zanoni nor Trump Jr immediately responded to a request for comment from AFP.
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In the video, republished by the Corriere della Sera daily, Trump Jr is seen shooting at ducks from a pit blind 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 licence of the wildlife shooting company "and those responsible for acts in violation of Italian and European regulations."
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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.
Asked for comment, the regional council told AFP it would "respond to the question in the time and manner it deems appropriate".
The Ruddy Shelduck spends the winter in South Asia and migrates to southeastern Europe and Central Asia to breed.
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Main image courtesy of Corriere Della Sera