What is a Ruddy Shelduck? Donald Trump Jr allegedly hunting endangered species triggers uproar in Italy 

Donald Trump's son, Trump Jr., has been accused of hunting an endangered species of duck during his time in the Venice lagoon, triggering an uproar in Italy.

As reported by The Guardian, Andrea Zanoni, a regional councilor in Veneto, claimed there's video evidence of the President's son with the body of a rare ruddy shelduck (Tadorna Ferruginea) from his hunting trip to northern Italy.

The Ruddy Shelduck is a distinctive waterfowl and sports an orange-brown body and a paler head. Its tail and flight feathers are typically black, while it has white wing coverts. These birds are migratory, and while in central and eastern Asia, populations are growing or are steady, in Europe, they are declining.

However, the birds have a large total population, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has dubbed their conservation status as being of least concern.

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Italians decry Trump Jr., noting that his actions were "criminally sanctioned"

In a post on Facebook, Andrea Zanoni expressed his woes, noting:

“Video shows Trump J. with in the foreground a Casarca (Tadorna ferrugginea), a very rare duck in all of Europe and protected by the EU Uccelli directive and by the Italian law on the protection of wildlife, the L. 157/1992. The killing or detention of this animal is criminally sanctioned and therefore according to Italian law it constitutes a precise crime of the judiciary’s competence.”

As The Guardian has reported, Donald Trump Jr. can be seen shooting at the endangered species from a foxhole in a lagoon in Field Ethos. However, it remains unclear if it was the President's son himself who shot the bird or someone else.

“This is a rather uncommon duck for the area,” Trump Jr. can be heard saying in the video, pointing to the dead bird next to him among a dozen others. “Not even sure what it is in English.”

"Trump J. he couldn’t hunt in Italy. Only residents of one of the Italian regions can hunt in Italy because you need to have a hunting card, which is issued by law by the region of residence of the applicant. I have submitted an interrogation for the Region to report on what sanctions it intends to impose, such as suspending or revoking the authorization towards the Venatoria wildlife company and those responsible for acts in violation of Italian and European standards. The Hon. Luana Zanella AVS did the same thing directing her to the Italian government," Zanoni went on.

Massimo Buconi, the President of the Italian Hunting Federation, also echoed the claims that it is illegal to hunt the bird, The Guardian has reported.

“At a glance it looks like a ruddy shelduck,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s protected in America, but in Europe, and in Italy, it is protected. You cannot hunt it.”

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Per the outlet, Luana Zanella, a Green member of the national parliament, has approached the environment ministry with the matter. At the time of writing, the President has yet to respond to the situation.