The appearance of Donald Trump Jr. in a video showing him participating in a hunting trip in the Venice Lagoon in Italy has sparked a series of political and legal reactions, putting the spotlight on local regulations concerning hunting activities and wildlife protection.
The footage, circulated online by the Field Ethos website, shows the billionaire’s son handling a hunting rifle while shooting ducks in a protected area of the European Union, the Pierimpiè Valley in Campagna Lupia.
Andrea Zanoni, the regional councilor from the Veneto branch of Europa Verde, promptly raised the issue with a question to the Regional Council, asking for clarification on the legality of the hunt carried out by the president’s eldest son, who, as a foreign citizen, would not have had the right to hunt in Italy.
The video clip has attracted attention not only due to the participation of the Trump heir but also because of the presence of a protected species among the water fowl featured, including a rare, characteristic-looking duck known as the Casarca, which is protected by EU regulations.
Meanwhile, the now widely-discussed clip highlights the issues related to environmental protection and the management of natural resources in sensitive areas.
The Venice Lagoon area has become a symbol of conservation that seems to be at risk due to the actions of foreign citizens and practices that fail to respect Italian laws. Zanoni, who is no stranger to similar battles, having previously reported Spanish King Juan Carlos for a similar incident in 2009, has promised to bring the matter to court, and the case is now under investigation by local authorities.
The potential legal proceedings and the growing public interest could turn this incident into not just a topic related to environmental and wildlife defense but also a symbol of tensions between local and global policies concerning biodiversity protection.
