2023-08-03 12:13:00
On 15 and 17 July, one after the other, a ram from the Thier de Coïsse nature reserve in Hamoir, which was in the midst of an eco-grazing herd responsible for maintaining the limestone lawns, suddenly charged two walkers, the seriously injuring while they were in the enclosure, accessible to the public by a barrier, to take advantage of the point of view.
Triple broken leg
The first victim, a grandmother who was walking with her two grandchildren, had bruised ribs, damaged knee ligaments and numerous bruises. She had told us about her misadventure, still in shock. The second, a 64-year-old lady from Anhée, has also just come forward. She was hospitalized for several days following her injuries, operated on for a triple fracture in her leg. “She was on an organized walk with a group of six people. As they left the viewpoint in single file, the ram suddenly rushed at her, explains her husband. She was thrown to the ground and he didn’t let her go, pounding on her back and her head. It took the intervention of the other walkers to protect her and escape from the enclosure.” Transported by ambulance to the CHR de Huy, she suffered a triple fracture to the malleolus. “She underwent a major operation: they put metal plates on her, which required a five-day hospitalization. His rehabilitation will take more than six months. And she is immobilized for several months. We had to cancel our holiday with friends. The consequences are serious.”
“Manifest negligence”
Like the other victim, the lady of Anhée decided to file a complaint, for assault and battery and negligence. “It is scandalous that on the barrier, nothing announced the presence of the ramcontinues her husband. This enclosure is a semi-public place that invites you to take a walk with the picnic table, the viewpoint… It’s even more infuriating to know that this isn’t the first accident. There was manifest negligence.”
In the meantime, as soon as he became aware of the facts, the mayor of Hamoir, Patrick Lecerf, had reacted and had the problematic herd evacuated from the site, had the access barrier to the viewpoint and the picnic table closed. and alerted the DNF (Nature and Forests Department), manager of the reserve. Since then, discussions have taken place. “We agreed that the enclosure not accessible to the public would be occupied normally but without a ram and that the enclosure accessible to the public would be modified as soon as the DNF found the necessary budget, in such a way as to separate the enclosure from the point of view In the meantime, the herd without rams will maintain the site and an explanatory panel will be installed at the entrance”, explains the mayor.
For its part, the DNF explains that it has never been informed of such an incident before. “We were notified of the accident the next day. It happened in a national nature reserve which is managed through sheep grazing. We are signing agreements with breeders to carry out this management. In more than 10 years of grazing with the same breeder, this is the first time that such an incident has been reported to us. We therefore directly evacuated the animals from the reserve.”
A sign to inform visitors
The DNF also explains the measures it will take. “The other problematic cases with the animals always concerned a ram. The sheep will therefore soon be returned to the reserve without a ram in order to guarantee vegetation management. An information panel will be added to inform visitors.” In the long term, the DNF is committed to redeveloping the area to exclude the view of the grazed area.
And the complaints lodged by the victims? The DNF does not pronounce. “Regarding the shares of responsibility between the manager and the breeder, it will be up to the insurance companies to define them. This reserve is not, however, the only one to include areas accessible to the public in conjunction with grazing.” A global reflection will therefore also be carried out within the DNF in order to analyze whether the management of the reserves must be adapted to avoid, in the future, any accident of this kind.
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