More than 20 wolves killed in Valais since the beginning of December
Published: Tuesday, Jan 2nd 2024, 13:10
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Since the introduction of the revised Hunting and Protection Ordinance in December 2023, 21 wolves have been killed in Valais. The last killing occurred last Monday.
The young wolf in question was part of the pack of Les Toules and was killed by a gamekeeper accompanied by the hunting party. This is according to the latest census published on Tuesday on the website of the Canton of Valais Department of Hunting, Fishing and Wildlife (DJFW).
The cantons have the option of carrying out "preventive regulatory culls" in December and January if they receive the green light from the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Valais may remove more than half of the thirteen packs that roam the cantonal territory from the map. That would be at least 34 wolves out of around 100 individuals.
More kills than estimated
At the beginning of December, the Valais authorities estimated that the campaign would already be "a great success" if the canton managed to remove between ten and fifteen wolves in December and January.
The canton has the packs of Nanz, Augstbord, Hérens-Mandelon, Le Fou-Isérables, Les Toules, Les Hauts-Forts and Chablais in its sights. In mid-December, the Federal Administrative Court blocked the preventive killing of the three packs of Hauts-Forts, Nanz and Le Fou-Isérables after several environmental organizations filed a lawsuit against it.
They were of the opinion that the federal government and cantons were disregarding the principle of proportionality with these killings and that the canton's shooting permit was unlawful. They emphasized the important role of the wolf in the forest ecosystem. The FOEN has since applied for the suspensive effect of the lawsuit to be lifted.
©Keystone/SDA
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