Upper Bavaria: Nature conservationists take legal action against wolf killing

The Bund Naturschutz (BN) intends to take legal action against the authorities' decision to shoot a wolf in Upper Bavaria.

The wolf poses no danger to humans, the conservationists explained. A killing would not be lawful.

Nature conservation groups oppose the killing

The regional nature conservation associations LBV and Bund Naturschutz reject the decision, as does the Society for the Protection of Wolves. «If unprotected livestock are kept in relative proximity to residential areas, a wolf will not pass up such an opportunity. Habituation and a resulting threat to humans cannot be assumed on the basis of such reasoning.»

According to genetic analyses, the animal had killed livestock near settlements. The BN argues that instead of shooting the animal, it should be deterred — that is, kept away from communities through appropriate measures.

The Government of Upper Bavaria had approved the killing and published a corresponding general administrative order. To prevent a threat to humans, the “targeted lethal removal” of the animal was authorised.

Political pressure rather than scientific justification

The wolf GW2425m, believed to have originated in Italy, has been roaming the Upper Bavarian districts of Rosenheim, Traunstein and the Berchtesgadener Land for around five weeks. He is attributed with the majority of kills totalling three deer, two goats and two sheep. The goats and sheep had been on unsecured properties near farms or settlements during the night, writes Wildtierschutz Deutschland.

The Government of Upper Bavaria has now ordered that the wolf be immediately “removed” — that is, killed by authorised hunters. How GW2425m is to be identified remains unclear.

The species protection exemption is based exclusively on § 45 para. 7 sentence 1 no. 4 BNatSchG (human health and public safety). However, no threat to human health is apparent from the individual incidents. The LBV reports that the wolf fled immediately during a single encounter with humans. This is normal wolf behaviour.Wildtierschutz Deutschland considers the exemption to be inadequately justified and disproportionate.

Making an example of this in Bavaria is a result of the pressure exerted by livestock farmers on local and state politicians. This is less about the irrational fear of an attack on humans, and more about concerns regarding potential economic losses. According to a recent study (NINA Report No. 1944, John D. C. Linnell et al.), there were only two wolf-related fatalities and 11 injury incidents in Europe and North America combined between 2002 and 2020. Here too, solutions for coexistence with the wolf should be found. Italy, Slovenia and Romania are leading the way. Further background on theanimal welfare issues can be found in the Wild beim Wild dossiers.