published13. September 2022, 05:17
VEGETABLE BLINDNESSOne-week hunting ban for chamois in Urseren
Due to the recurring plague of chamois blindness, a ban on hunting chamois was imposed in Urseren until September 17, 2022. This measure is intended to give the sick animals the rest they need.
Sheep, goats, chamois and ibexes can be affected by the eye infection. In the most severe cases, the animals can lose their eyesight and die from falling or emaciation.
Fishing and hunting, Canton of Lucerne
The hunters must comply with this prohibition because the animals, which could recover, need rest.
Fishing and hunting, Canton of Lucerne
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After the chamois blindness was discovered in Urseren, they may no longer be hunted until Saturday.
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This measure is intended to give sick animals the rest they need.
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Chamois blindness is a highly contagious eye disease in sheep, goats, chamois and ibex.
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A third of the affected animals are expected to lose their sight completely.
In the canton of Uri, the hunting administrator has issued a ban on hunting chamois in Urseren. The reason for this is the occurrence of chamois blindness. The hunting ban applies from Monday to September 17th. A grace period for hunting chamois is no longer necessary because the big game hunt will then come to an end. “Chamo blindness is a highly contagious eye disease that affects not only chamois but also sheep, goats and ibexes. If the course is severe, the animals can go completely blind and die miserably, for example by falling or starving,” writes hunting manager Josef Walker on request.
Animals that are more easily affected by the disease can recover from the disease if they are given the necessary rest. If the disease is mild, wild animals can even regain their sight. The occurrence of chamois blindness was observed and reported by hunters and tourists during the first big game hunting week. The hunting administration assumes that many chamois are affected by the disease. However, numbers cannot be quantified.
Pathogens repeatedly infect livestock or wild animals
According to Walker, studies assume that sheep form a reservoir for the causative agent of chamois blindness, which means that the causative agent can persist permanently in herds of sheep. “Currently, however, there is no reliable control method that can eliminate chamois blindness from an entire flock of sheep and rule out transmission to wild animals,” Walker continues. In the case of individual farm animals that are visibly affected, the disease can be cured with an eye ointment. In herds of chamois and ibex, on the other hand, the pathogen usually disappears again at the end of an outbreak. The pathogen can also behave quietly in wild animals for a while and then suddenly break out again.
Chamois blindness already appeared in the Pilatus area in August. After that, there was one too Chamois hunting ban arranged.