Donald Trump Jr has been accused of illegally hunting rare ducks in Italy as Italian activists blast the First Son for his actions.
After an online video surfaced showing Don Jr participating in a hunting trip in a protected area, environmentalists and local MPs are calling for an investigation into the incident.
The footage, which was shared on the American website ‘Field Ethos – The global hunt for adventure’, captures Don Jr and a group of individuals engaging in a hunting expedition near Venice.
Don Jr can be seen in the video wearing camouflage gear, emerging from a foxhole and shooting at ducks, causing some to fall from the sky during the nearly six-minute clip.
Later on he is surrounded by an array of dead birds including an unusual amber coloured duck which he says: ‘Is a rather uncommon bird in the area. I’m not even sure what it is.’
The unidentified duck in question appears to be a Ruddy Shelduck which is a rare species in Europe and, according to activists, is protected under the European Union’s Birds Directive.
And under Italian law it is illegal to kill the bird.
The video has sparked controversy in Italy with Italian environmentalist and Green party politician Andrea Zanoni accusing Don Jr of breaking a number of laws in the country.
Later on he is surrounded by an array of dead birds including an unusual amber coloured duck which he says: ‘Is a rather uncommon bird in the area. I’m not even sure what it is’
In the almost six-minute footage Don Jr is seen popping out of foxhole – in his camouflage gear – shooting at the ducks with several falling from the sky
Mr Zanoni, in words reported by Corriere Del Veneto, has claimed that Don Jr killed a protected species without a regular license and also hunted in a conservation area protected by the European Union.
He added: ‘Like any foreigner, in Italy he was not allowed to hunt by law. In fact, in our country only residents of one of the Italian regions can hunt.’
‘You need a hunting licence issued by the police headquarters, but above all you need a hunting licence issued only and exclusively to residents of one of the Italian regions, a mandatory document where you can note the date, place of hunting and quantity of animals killed divided by individual species.’
Mr Zanoni has also lodged a complaint to the judiciary because ‘Veneto and Italy are not the property of the USA.’
A Green member of the Italian parliament has escalated the complaint to the Environment Ministry.
Luana Zanella, an Italian MP, said: ‘We are asking with a question to the Minister of the Environment Pichetto Fratin to explain what happened.
‘Given that the shooting of protected species is a crime, also if it is true that among those participants was present Donald Trump Jr, son of the President of the United States,’ La Repubblica reported.
Don Jr with long time girlfriend Bettina Anderson at President Trump’s inaugration. Don Jr was in Venice with Bettina who posted several pictures of their stay in the lagoon city on her Instagram, including a romantic nighttime gondola ride
In a statement to MailOnline, Monica Sambo, of Democratic Party of Venice said: ’What has been reported is a very serious matter, it is unacceptable that protected species are being killed in the Venice lagoon, a protected environment that should be protected.
‘If Trump Junior’s involvement is confirmed, we hope he will be prosecuted like any other citizen.’
Field Ethos was founded by Don Jr and its website describes the organisation as ‘old school adventurers who make no apologies for who we are’.
Don Jr was in Venice with his long time girlfriend Bettina Anderson who posted several pictures of their stay in the lagoon city on her Instagram, including a romantic nighttime gondola ride.
The controversy is unlikely to dampen the warm relations between President Donald Trump and Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
During Trump’s inauguration Meloni was one of a handful of world leaders who attended the ceremony.
Earlier in January, Meloni visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home. Speaking to reporters at the time Trump called his Italian counterpart ‘a fantastic woman’ who is ‘really taken Europe by storm, and everyone else’.
