Nature conservation rejects hunting ordinance – cantons see opportunity
Published: Friday, Jul 5th 2024, 10:20
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Animal and nature conservation associations sharply criticize the fact that wolves and other protected animals such as beavers are to become quasi-huntable animals. The Cantonal Conference of Agricultural Directors, on the other hand, sees their regulation as the foundation for the regulated coexistence of protected wild animals and agriculture.
The wolf population is out of control, according to the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Agriculture in its consultation response to the partial revision of the Hunting Ordinance. It therefore advocates proactive regulation. Lone wolves that overcome herd protection or endanger humans should even be allowed to be shot all year round.
The conference is calling for changes to herd protection, which is also the subject of the consultation draft. Here, operational reasonableness must take precedence over spatial feasibility based on terrain criteria. Operational protection concepts are already a prerequisite for the additional summering contribution on the Alps. This must also be enshrined in the ordinance.
More dog breeds for herd protection
In addition, the agricultural directorates are demanding recognition of the protective measures "safe overnight accommodation, bad weather grazing and permanent daytime herding of sheep and goats". In the case of livestock guarding dogs, the innovations do not convince the conference either.
The cantons have long been calling for more than two breeds to be approved as livestock guarding dogs. Therefore, further dog breeds must be approved for suitability testing without delay. The agricultural directors want to finance livestock protection and regulation exclusively from the budget of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).
Protected animals virtually huntable
Swiss animal welfare is vehemently opposed to the new hunting ordinance. It is dominated by intervention regulations for species that are actually protected. The wolf would become virtually huntable and beaver protection would be significantly weakened.
The Federal Constitution and the Hunting Act must be observed, which means that the wolf is protected. Wolf culls should therefore only be permitted if significant damage has occurred despite herd protection or to regulate packs in order to avert a high probability of serious damage despite protective measures. Inconspicuous wolf packs should be left alone.
Animal welfare strictly rejects the shooting of beavers. Intervention is already possible. It also expressly rejects the permitted shooting of beaver fathers during the breeding season, as this endangers the survival of the entire family.
Clear conditions for launch
Pro Natura, WWF Switzerland, the Swiss Wolf Group and Birdlife Switzerland write in a joint statement that proactive wolf culling in the event of imminent major damage is undisputed. However, the prerequisites for this must be that the damage is really plausible, that milder measures are useless and that there is reasonable protection for the herd.
Furthermore, the culls must not endanger the local population. However, the ordinance is one-sidedly geared towards shooting, is impractical in terms of herd protection and is incompatible with overriding law. The beaver is being targeted unnecessarily and the ecological potential of the wolf for forest health is being ignored. A technically justified, legally compliant and effective implementation of wolf management is possible.
For the CH Wolf Association, a threshold of twelve packs and the division of the country into five regulation regions contradicts the Federal Constitution, the Hunting Act, the Bern Convention and the Alpine Convention. Shooting entire packs could lead to the regional extinction of wolves.
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