Hundreds demonstrate for wolf protection in Bern

The mood was combative, yet peaceful.

Placards bearing slogans such as “Coexistence instead of bullets” and “Protect wolves, don’t shoot them” defined the scene.

Numerous participants wore wolf masks or held symbolic wolf figures aloft — a clear symbol of solidarity with the predator, which had long been eradicated in Switzerland and has only recently returned after great difficulty.

“Wolves are not a problem, but part of the solution. They regulate wildlife populations, strengthen the ecosystem and belong in our mountains,” said a spokesperson. The organisers sharply criticised the federal government and several cantons for preferring rifle barrels over herd protection measures.

Experts have been pointing out for years that herd protection, public education and targeted preventive measures are more effective and sustainable than blanket culls. For many demonstrators, the killing of entire packs is not only ecologically senseless but also ethically indefensible. “We want an agriculture that works with nature — not against it,” said one participant.

The demonstration in Bern made it clear: more and more people in Switzerland do not want to stand by and watch as a protected wild animal is systematically persecuted. The wolves have found their human allies in Bern — and the protest has only just begun.

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