Austria: 74 percent welcome the return of the wolf

We recently reported (Wolf packs are good for the forest), that the canton of Graubünden welcomes the return of the wolf as a support for forest management.

The health of Graubünden's forests has improved since the wolf's return. Now there is even better news: the majority of the Austrian population also welcomes the return of the wolf!

A representative survey of 1’000 Austrians shows a positive attitude towards the natural return of the wolf (74 percent). This clear statement shows that the majority does not support a wolf-free zone or the extermination of these protected animals.

These are the key findings of a representative public survey on the topic of «Wolf in the wild».

What the Austrian population wants as quickly as possible is a conflict-free coexistence. While newspapers are often flooded with negative opinions from representatives of the recreational hunter and farming lobby, these are not supported by the majority of voters.

WWF Austria calls for swift action

A meeting between representatives of the Ministry of the Environment and other stakeholder groups is urgently needed at this time. In order to do justice to all groups involved, steps and measures must be discussed now. And all parties must implement these measures immediately. A majority of 88% calls for an unbureaucratic approach to supporting herd protection.

«A clear message to politicians to finally create a uniform and financially secure regulation for all of Austria.» – Christian Pichler, WWF

The survey shows that 84% of the Austrian population regard the wolf as an essential part of nature, and 82% believe peaceful coexistence is possible. This positive attitude is even higher in Lower Austria, where the wolf is already at home.

An impressive 91% of people respect the free-living wolf in Austria. Not only city dwellers, but above all most residents in rural areas (76%) also welcome the wolf. However, concern about damage is also higher there.

Austrian recreational hunters agree too

On behalf of WWF, Linzer Market conducted a survey in which a group of recreational hunters was identified. The recreational hunters held the same views as the general population. This makes it clear that the voices opposed to the wolf in Austria represent a minority of the population. The broad acceptance is the result of collaboration between politicians, conservationists, recreational hunters, and farmers.

From a conservation perspective, these figures allow only one interpretation: the large majority of Austrians do not want wolf-free zones or the shooting of strictly protected animals. In Switzerland, surveys show similar results — the recreational hunting as population control narrative is increasingly being questioned by the public.

The results are based on a representative opinion poll among the Austrian population aged 15 and over (1’000 respondents, half face-to-face and half online) conducted in July and August 2017 across all federal states.

International acceptance of wilderness

A similar response is demonstrated by a large survey in Germany. 65% of Germans love wilderness and support natural forests and wetlands. Around 80% want wilderness kept as pristine as possible and would like to be able to visit it. The percentage of Germans who welcome the wolf is smaller than in Austria (44%). Nevertheless, a majority of Germans support its return. Recently, German shepherds, recreational hunters, farmers, and NGOs agreed on a joint wolf strategy. It is clear that the number of people who respect and value European wilderness is steadily growing.