two reasons to stop chasing them

After the first wave of regulation, David Gerke, from Groupe Loup Suisse, calls for a new approach. Many of the wolves killed were not a danger to livestock.

50 wolves were killed this winter throughout Switzerland. What were the effects of the regulation authorized by Federal Councilor Albert Rösti?
We will only be able to fully assess the effects next summer. But we are already seeing that several packs were destabilized by the uncontrolled shooting and that it was not at all a targeted intervention aimed at eliminating the animals that were causing damage.

27 wolves were killed in the canton of Valais. A report now shows that most of them did not kill farm animals. Why were the wrong specimens shot?
In Valais, we proceeded as follows: in regions where there was damage, packs were authorized to be slaughtered.

But if you really want to catch those who cause damage, you have to see how the wolves behave individually before shooting them.

What’s the best way to know which wolves are causing damage?
Wolves should be caught in situations where they are near protected herds, perhaps even when they are attempting to attack. Or when they move near homes. Because if the surviving wolves are to learn anything, the culling must take place at the moment they exhibit undesirable behavior.

Before the start of the regulation, animal expert Andreas Moser already deplored that untargeted shooting was tearing the packs apart. What are the consequences ?
We know that if we shoot adult wolves, the young survivors leave the territory sooner. However, they have no hunting experience and particularly often attack livestock. These shots therefore led to a breakdown, which also increases the danger for farm animals.

The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) would have known before the regulations were introduced that they were not really compatible with the Berne Convention. Why was the plan maintained?
The FOEN must implement policy directives. The means available to the federal office to exert influence on the matter are apparently very limited.

In the canton of Graubünden, the wildlife service announced this week that the number of livestock killed last year was half as many as in 2022. So the regulation has borne fruit?
No. Regulation began at the beginning of December. The previous eleven months, in which fewer livestock were killed, had nothing to do with it. In fact, the wolves did not know ahead of time what was going to happen to them.

So why has there been a decrease in livestock attacks?
The decline has occurred in areas where wolves have been present for a long time. Farmers in Surselva and central Graubünden have learned to better protect their animals. We also see it on a European scale: where wolves have lived for a long time, there is less damage, because we learn to manage them.

Are you talking about herd protection measures?
Yes, it is primarily dogs or electric fences that are effective. But other animals, raised in parallel, can also be effective: for example other breeds of sheep or goats.

Despite this mixed assessment, the Confederation plans new regulations from September to January. What needs to be improved?
The revision of the hunting ordinance is underway. Everyone was finally invited to take a stand. The Confederation must therefore respond to concerns about uncontrolled shooting. Regulation must take place without there being any destruction of packs.

Despite the shooting, wolves are still seen in populated areas. How many wolves can we tolerate near humans and how do we prevent them from getting ever closer to villages?
How many wolves one can support is a social question. But the fact that we have had more and more wolves near homes in recent weeks is a consequence of uncontrolled shooting. They are all young wolves who were scattered by the breakup of their pack.

Translated and adapted by Lara Lack