A wolf killed a goat on Thursday January 16 in the afternoon at the Charbonnière farm, on the banks of the Doubs, in the commune of Soubey (JU). Since the goat was not kept in an enclosure in accordance with federal herd protection requirements at the time of predation, this loss will not be charged to the quota for damage due to the wolf for possible subsequent shooting authorization. It had been more than a year since the wolf had last been talked about in the canton of Jura.
A cantonal wildlife warden immediately went to the scene after the call from the farmer to carry out the usual assessments. Based on the injuries observed, the testimony of the breeder and the observation of the wolf on the scene, the responsibility of the latter is beyond doubt. Biological material was nevertheless collected to learn more about the origin of this individual.
The herd protection officer was informed of this predation so that he could disseminate the information to neighboring operators and invite them to take measures for the animals which were not yet kept sufficiently securely. The Environment Office recalls the importance of strengthening protection measures, in particular for sheep and goats, which have benefited from state support since the return of the wolf to the canton in 2021. The goat killed will be 100% compensated by the Confederation and the canton.
This attack is not surprising from the point of view of the dynamics of the species. The cantonal territory is not home to any pack of wolves, but it is regularly crossed by isolated individuals, mainly males, who set out to conquer new territories. The last attack in the canton of Jura dates back to October 2023, on a flock of sheep in Berlincourt. No predation was recorded in 2024 on livestock.
