An Italian lawmaker has filed a legal complaint for hunting without a license against Donald Trump Jr. and his hunting party after video emerged showing him surrounded by dead birds that he and his group allegedly shot in a protected conservation area of the Venice lagoon.
The carcasses appear to include an orange-brown ruddy shelduck, which is protected under Italian law.
Andrea Zanoni, a regional councilor for the northern Italian Veneto region, that only residents of the Italian regions can acquire the necessary hunting licenses.
He says the footage shows Trump Jr. among hunters in the Valle Pierimpie’ a Campagna Lupia, a private marshland in the Venice lagoon.
Responding to accusations over the duck’s shooting, a spokesperson for Trump Jr. said the US president’s son had the necessary authorizations to hunt and would cooperate with any investigation.
The video was published Sunday in Field Ethos, for which Trump Jr. is listed as co-founder and publisher, described as a “premier lifestyle publication for the unapologetic man.”
The footage was no longer on the Field Ethos website as of Tuesday and a message on YouTube said the content had been removed by the uploader.
The video, which was republished on Italian media websites, shows a small group of hunters – including Trump Jr. – shooting up at flocks of ducks flying overhead, many of which drop into the water when hit.
The hunting scenes are interspersed with imagery of camouflaged hunters lying in wait, scenic views across the water and bird dogs, and soundtracked by music.
The US president’s son describes the dead birds scattered around him, pointing to what Zanoni says is the ruddy shelduck, a migratory species from Asia that is rare in Europe.
“This is actually a rather uncommon duck for the area,” Trump Jr., wearing camouflage, can be heard saying. “Great morning… this is actually a rather uncommon duck for the area, he says. “Not even sure what it is in English. But incredible shoot.”
Trump Jr.’s spokesman says it’s unclear who in the group may have shot that particular duck.
“While it’s unclear whether this single duck was unintentionally shot by someone in Don’s hunting group, another hunting group or killed in a different manner and retrieved by the groups hunting dog, Don takes following all rules, regulations and conservation on his hunts very seriously and plans on fully cooperating with any investigation,” Surabian said.
Italy’s Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) political party filed a similar complaint with the country’s environment minister, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin. The environment ministry said it would not comment until after reviewing all material relating to the matter.
The complainants also say they will file against the hunting guide Oliver Martini, who explains in the video that the wetlands are “special” because they are “managed privately” by his family.
Martini adds: “We have the property and management for hunting, we respect the animals a lot, we hunt only once a week, we take care of the environment and nutrition so that these migratory animals find the conditions to stop and remain all winter.”
He added that with regards to the apparent killing of a protected bird that was flying alongside legitimately huntable fowl, it would not be possible to determine who pulled the trigger. Since the group was hunting in an authorized area, there is little that can be done, he suggested.
A parliamentary inquiry is expected to take place and an investigation into whether Trump’s hunting guide followed protocol in getting the temporary hunting permit is underway, according to a parliamentary spokesperson.
