17 wolves killed in Valais since December 1
Published: Monday, Dec 18th 2023, 16:00
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The canton of Valais has already reached half of its shooting target since the start of active wolf hunting on December 1. Within 18 days, 17 wolves have been killed.
The Department of Hunting, Fishing and Wildlife was "satisfied" with this result, as it informed the Keystone-SDA news agency on Monday. In November, the State Council had declared that the operation would be a "great success" if the canton managed to kill "between ten and 15" wolves over the next two months. With 17 animals killed, the canton has now shot half of the wolves it had targeted in just under three weeks.
Seven wolves were killed from the Augstbord pack and a further seven from the Eringer pack, according to the canton's count on Monday. Two wolves came from the Nanz pack and one from the Toules pack.
14 animals were shot by professional gamekeepers, three by hunters with a special permit.
The "surprise effect" certainly played a role in this result, especially with the first kills," said the head of the Hunting, Fishing and Wildlife Service, Nicolas Bourquin, when asked by Keystone-SDA. He also emphasized "the great commitment of the people who were out every night".
Mostly young animals shot
The success of the shootings is "multifactorial", Bourquin explained. It depends on the snow conditions, the proximity of roads, the movements of the wolf's prey such as deer or the presence of federal hunting ban areas in which shooting is prohibited.
The head of the hunting authority also noted that of the 17 wolves killed, 13 were cubs and four were adults. This was in line with federal recommendations to target the young first.
Postponement for three packs
On November 1, the Federal Council brought the first part of the amendment to the Hunting Act into force for a limited period. This gave the cantons the opportunity to carry out "preventive regulatory shooting" as early as December and January, provided they received the approval of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).
During these two months, Valais was given permission to kill more than half of the 13 packs on its territory, i.e. at least 34 out of around one hundred wolves. The packs of Nanz, Augstbord, Hérens-Mandelon, Le Fou-Isérables, Les Toules, Les Hauts-Forts and Chablais were targeted.
At the beginning of last week, however, the Federal Administrative Court blocked the "preventive killing" of the three packs of Les Hauts-Forts, Nanz and Le Fou-Isérables following an appeal by several environmental organizations. They are of the opinion that the Confederation and the cantons are disregarding the "principle of proportionality and the important role that the predator plays in the forest ecosystem". In the meantime, the FOEN has applied to the Federal Administrative Court for the suspensive effect to be lifted.
©Keystone/SDA
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