Initiative aims to regulate wolves, bears, lynx and birds of prey
Published: Tuesday, Jan 30th 2024, 11:31
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Wolves, but also bears, lynxes and birds of prey should be allowed to be hunted. This is intended to regulate the populations and prevent the uncontrolled proliferation of these animal species. A newly launched popular initiative is calling for a constitutional article to this effect.
The initiative "for effective regulatory measures against the uncontrolled spread of wolves, lynx, bears and birds of prey of all kinds" was published in the Federal Gazette on Tuesday. The committee has until July 30, 2025 to collect the 100,000 valid signatures required for the initiative to become law.
Specifically, the initiative demands that wolves, bears and lynxes as well as "birds of prey", which are not described in more detail in the text, may be hunted with the aim of preventing them from spreading "uncontrollably". Birds of prey include not only species such as golden eagles and bearded vultures, but also buzzards and red kites.
Wolf, bear and lynx are protected in Switzerland. In November, the federal government approved the preventive shooting of twelve wolf packs. The animals may be killed before they cause any damage. However, courts in the cantons of Graubünden and Valais temporarily halted the culls. According to the Hunting Act, birds of prey cannot be hunted and are also protected.
The initiative is backed by a committee led by Madeleine Amstutz, a member of the Bernese cantonal parliament. The politician from Sigriswil was expelled from the SVP Canton of Bern at the end of 2023 for standing on lists that do not belong to the SVP and is defending herself against this with an objection.
Not the first initiative on this topic
It is not the first initiative on large carnivores. Signatures are currently being collected for the popular initiative "for the protection of humans, pets and livestock from wolves". It wants to enshrine in the constitution that wolves may be hunted all year round. They should only be protected in the Swiss National Park.
In November 2021, the canton of Valais clearly adopted the popular initiative "For a canton of Valais without large carnivores". As the regulation of large carnivores is a federal responsibility, the initiative was seen as a signal to Bern.
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