Species protection in the European Union : how strict is strict?
- Author
- Hendrik Schoukens (UGent) and Kees Bastmeijer
- Organization
- Abstract
- When talking about species protection law, most people have the tendency to think of large, elusive species, such as eagles, brown bears or wolves. Ironically, whilst not being the most emblematic species, the European or wild hamster has been at the centre of the debates surrounding the application of European species protection law, especially in the context of spatial development projects. Up until the middle of the past century, there was no apparent need for additional protection measures for this species (which is considerably bigger than the pet shop variety). Wild hamsters used to be native to a large global range, extending from western Europe, through central and eastern Europe, Russia and Kazakhstan. Across its global range, it is still considered of ‘least concern’, but in many individual European countries, such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, it is considered critically endangered. The European hamster, which is a nocturnal or crepuscular species, lives singly but in a complex burrow system, and eats seeds, legumes, root vegetables, grasses and insects. Hence the rodent species is particularly dependent on open agricultural terrains, such as meadows, grasslands and farmlands. Urban sprawl, loss of habitats and monoculture of corn are to be blamed for the decline of the population of the European hamster during the past centuries.
- Keywords
- EU species protection law, EU environmental law
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-5864686
- MLA
- Schoukens, Hendrik, and Kees Bastmeijer. “Species Protection in the European Union : How Strict Is Strict?” The Habitats Directive in Its EU Environmental Law Context : European Nature’s Best Hope?, edited by Charles-Hubert Born et al., Routledge, 2015, pp. 121–46, doi:10.4324/9781315777290-20.
- APA
- Schoukens, H., & Bastmeijer, K. (2015). Species protection in the European Union : how strict is strict? In C.-H. Born, A. Cliquet, H. Schoukens, D. Misonne, & G. Van Hoorick (Eds.), The habitats directive in its EU environmental law context : European nature’s best hope? (pp. 121–146). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315777290-20
- Chicago author-date
- Schoukens, Hendrik, and Kees Bastmeijer. 2015. “Species Protection in the European Union : How Strict Is Strict?” In The Habitats Directive in Its EU Environmental Law Context : European Nature’s Best Hope?, edited by Charles-Hubert Born, An Cliquet, Hendrik Schoukens, Delphine Misonne, and Geert Van Hoorick, 121–46. London, UK: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315777290-20.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Schoukens, Hendrik, and Kees Bastmeijer. 2015. “Species Protection in the European Union : How Strict Is Strict?” In The Habitats Directive in Its EU Environmental Law Context : European Nature’s Best Hope?, ed by. Charles-Hubert Born, An Cliquet, Hendrik Schoukens, Delphine Misonne, and Geert Van Hoorick, 121–146. London, UK: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315777290-20.
- Vancouver
- 1.Schoukens H, Bastmeijer K. Species protection in the European Union : how strict is strict? In: Born C-H, Cliquet A, Schoukens H, Misonne D, Van Hoorick G, editors. The habitats directive in its EU environmental law context : European nature’s best hope? London, UK: Routledge; 2015. p. 121–46.
- IEEE
- [1]H. Schoukens and K. Bastmeijer, “Species protection in the European Union : how strict is strict?,” in The habitats directive in its EU environmental law context : European nature’s best hope?, C.-H. Born, A. Cliquet, H. Schoukens, D. Misonne, and G. Van Hoorick, Eds. London, UK: Routledge, 2015, pp. 121–146.
@incollection{5864686,
abstract = {{When talking about species protection law, most people have the tendency to think of large, elusive species, such as eagles, brown bears or wolves. Ironically, whilst not being the most emblematic species, the European or wild hamster has been at the centre of the debates surrounding the application of European species protection law, especially in the context of spatial development projects. Up until the middle of the past century, there was no apparent need for additional protection measures for this species (which is considerably bigger than the pet shop variety). Wild hamsters used to be native to a large global range, extending from western Europe, through central and eastern Europe, Russia and Kazakhstan. Across its global range, it is still considered of ‘least concern’, but in many individual European countries, such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, it is considered critically endangered. The European hamster, which is a nocturnal or crepuscular species, lives singly but in a complex burrow system, and eats seeds, legumes, root vegetables, grasses and insects. Hence the rodent species is particularly dependent on open agricultural terrains, such as meadows, grasslands and farmlands. Urban sprawl, loss of habitats and monoculture of corn are to be blamed for the decline of the population of the European hamster during the past centuries.}},
author = {{Schoukens, Hendrik and Bastmeijer, Kees}},
booktitle = {{The habitats directive in its EU environmental law context : European nature's best hope?}},
editor = {{Born, Charles-Hubert and Cliquet, An and Schoukens, Hendrik and Misonne, Delphine and Van Hoorick, Geert}},
isbn = {{9781138019584}},
keywords = {{EU species protection law,EU environmental law}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{121--146}},
publisher = {{Routledge}},
series = {{Routledge Research in EU Law}},
title = {{Species protection in the European Union : how strict is strict?}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315777290-20}},
year = {{2015}},
}
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