Graubünden Game Warden Penalized for Wrong Kills

A Graubünden game warden has been sentenced to a four-figure fine by the public prosecutor's office for wrongful killings.

Last November, during the wolf massacre, the man accidentally shot three lynxes in the Surselva region. He subsequently reported himself to the authorities.

The game warden accepted the penalty order, the Graubünden public prosecutor's office stated. The penalty order has therefore become legally binding.

The game warden was convicted of multiple violations of the federal hunting law and of negligently killing a protected animal species. The charge states that the game warden had not identified the animals clearly enough before firing.

Misidentification Leads to Tragedy

The game warden had been firmly convinced that he was shooting at three young wolves approved for culling during the massacre of wolves. However, he killed one male lynx and two young lynxes. The incident occurred at night, although this is prohibited under the Bern Convention. The animals were tracked using thermal imaging technology.

"It certainly does not make things easier, but a game warden can in principle distinguish lynxes from wolves even at night," Arquint said at the time, who heads the Office for Hunting and Nonsense in Graubünden.