Wallis shoots 27 wolves and had 34 in his sights
Published: Monday, Feb 5th 2024, 16:00
Updated At: Monday, Feb 5th 2024, 16:00
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Between December 1st and the end of January, gamekeepers and hunters in Valais shot 27 wolves. The canton had a shooting permit for 34 animals. It wanted to eradicate seven out of 13 packs. An appeal to the Federal Administrative Court made this impossible for three packs.
In mid-December, the Federal Administrative Court granted an appeal by environmental protection organizations suspensive effect. As a result, the canton of Valais had to call off the hunt for the three packs of Hauts-Forts, Nanz and Le Fou-Isérables. Until then, the canton had shot ten wolves preventively in 2023 and four individual wolves following damage in accordance with federal regulations.
Of the 27 wolves finally shot in the preventive cull, 16 were pups and eleven were adults, as Nicolas Bourquin, head of the cantonal hunting, fishing and wildlife service, told the media in Sion on Monday. Four of the wolves were shot by private hunters with special permits, the others by gamekeepers.
In Valais, a total of 71 wolves were genetically identified with their DNA. At the end of 2023, 46 of them were still living primarily in the south of the Rhone. The estimated 100 or so wolves in Valais were responsible for 401 livestock kills, compared to 405 in the previous year.
Two-fifths on animals with no protection
Two fifths (38 percent) of these attacks occurred on herds that could have been protected but were not. At 155 animals, this category accounted for the highest number of animals killed. 142 farm animals were killed by wolves in unprotected areas. They took 104 animals from protected herds. The lower number compared to 2022 was attributed by those responsible to the fact that livestock grazing on the Alps was discontinued or not carried out at all.
State Councillor Frédéric Favre, head of the Department of Security, Institutions and Sport (DSIS), said that preventive wolf culls were only carried out in areas that could not be protected. According to him, there was no wolf hunting in areas where protection was not possible.
Although not all of the targeted wolves were shot down, Favre drew a positive balance. The concept had proved its worth. With regard to the current year, he explained that the wolf hunt will open in September and last until the end of January 2025.
©Keystone/SDA
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