Farmers Urged to Look for Fawns Before Mowing

On Thursday 13 March 2025, Luxembourg’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, Martine Hansen, participated in a press conference in the municipality of Helperknapp (Mersch canton), alongside key stakeholders involved in fawn rescue.

A statement, issued by Luxembourg’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, confirmed that representatives from the Saint-Hubert Hunters' Federation of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the non-profit organisation Sauvons Bambi Luxembourg, the Chamber of Agriculture and local authorities presented their joint efforts to strengthen coordination of fawn rescue to the press.

Minister Hansen stated: "Protecting fawns before harvesting relies on collective action, where farmers and volunteers work hand in hand. These volunteers, whether hunters or members of Sauvons Bambi, play a key role in the success of rescue operations".

An overview of existing structures was presented during the conference, highlighting the implementation of a national inventory of stakeholders involved in fawn rescue, carried out with the support of Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity. This tool aims to improve networking between farmers and volunteers involved in fawn searches, whether they are hunters or members of Sauvons Bambi. The inventory, accessible via https://agriculture.public.lu/de/tiere/tierschutz-tierwohl/rehkitzrettung.html, will allow each farmer to quickly identify people in their municipality who can help them locate fawns before mowing.

A national map was also presented to illustrate the geographic coverage of existing initiatives. It depicts the municipalities and hunting grounds that already have operational structures for fawn rescue. It shows that the majority of the country benefits from a good level of coverage.

The Ministry of Agriculture is also continuing its awareness-raising efforts among farmers. It recently sent out an information flyer to all farmers to remind them of the importance of planning ahead for mowing and contacting hunters or Sauvons Bambi well in advance. In addition to safeguarding the welfare of fawns, reducing the risk of botulism, which can be caused by the presence of animal carcasses in fodder, remains a major health issue for livestock farms.

The conference also demonstrated the effectiveness of drones equipped with thermal cameras in locating fawns before mowing. Nico Eich, a hunter and drone pilot, conducted a live demonstration, in collaboration with Sauvons Bambi. This method makes it easier to locate fawns hidden in tall grass and organise their safekeeping before the passage of agricultural machinery.

"The commitment of farmers, hunters and volunteers is essential to the success of this shared mission," concluded Minister Hansen.

At the end of the harvesting season, which runs from April to mid-July, the Ministry of Agriculture will review the actions carried out with all stakeholders and assess the next steps to further strengthen fawn rescue efforts.

HOM