VEGANS and vegetarians are causing harm to animals a leading environmentalist has claimed.
Argentinian expert Claudio Bertonatti, who is a natural history expert, believes vegans kill animals by eating rice, grains and vegetables.
He says growing crops to the exclusion of animals threatens their natural environment and therefore their welfare.
The cultivation of vegetables and grains often involves poisoning and shooting animals to keep them off the crops, he says.
He said: “In Argentina, I encounter many people who claim to be defenders of nature because they don’t eat meat or wear leather.“They think that by being vegan or vegetarian they’re preventing animals from dying. It’s not true.“If you care about biodiversity and the environment, being vegan is not necessarily the best way forward.“If you want any particular crop to grow effectively, then yes, you’re going to have to kill or remove certain pests, both animals and plants.“So it could be argued that vegans are causing the death of animals by requiring monocultures of wheat or other grains to be grown.”
Cutting out all animal produce isn’t the best way to help wildlife, he said.
He added: “If you’re fortunate enough and wealthy enough to be able to be selective about your diet then instead of cutting out all animal products, go for organic products – or better still buy directly from producers and farmers which incorporate and follow good environmental practises.“Choose those which treat animals well, enhance biodiversity, protect our soils, keep our waters clean and benefit the local community as a whole.”
