The hunt, which took place during a large game (deer, fallow deer, wild boar), took place ten days ago near the town of Asambuja, sixty kilometers north of the Portuguese capital. 540 animals were slaughtered.

The Portuguese Public Prosecutor’s Office on Monday launched an investigation into a hunting party in the Lisbon area. During this time 540 animals were slaughtered, which caused outrage in the country.

“Within the framework of this case, an investigation is initiated and falls within the purview of the Department of Investigation and Lisbon’s penal proceedings,” a spokesman for the Public Prosecution said.

The hunt for the big game (deer, fallow deer, wild boar) took place ten days ago on Torre’s property near the town of Asambuja, sixty kilometers north of the Portuguese capital. Bela, the largest and most walled area in Europe, covers more than 1,000 hectares.

One of the 16 Spanish participants welcomed the hunt in a post on the social network Facebook, which was quickly deleted due to the outrage of Internet users.

Along with a photo of dozens of dead animals lined up on the ground, it featured the following caption: “540 animals with 16 hunters in Portugal, record during a super hit”.

“Clothing Function”

Since then, the event has provoked general outrage beyond social networks. The Portuguese government, through Environment Minister Joao Pedro Matos Fernandez, condemned “hate speech” and “unacceptable environmental crime” and opened the door to a review of the hunting law.

Political parties of all stripes were affected by this hunt. Pan, a four-member animal protection party in the Portuguese parliament, declared that “killing for entertainment is inhumane.”

During this hunt, groups of hunters talked about a massacre or “annihilation.” According to the weekly Expresso, Organized by the Spanish specialist company Hunting Spain Portugal Monteros de la Cabra.

Torre Bela’s property was argued in a statement that this land was not responsible for the “illegal” practice that took place on its land.

The Institute for Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), which had not previously reported the incident, launched its own investigation last week and suspended hunting permits on the property.