New wolf pack in Ticino

Near the border with Italy, at the end of November, a wolf pack with presumably three young animals was spotted.

This was reported by the Ticino Office for Hunting and Fishing.

Five wolves on camera trap

In the Onsernone Valley in Ticino, a new wolf pack formed in 2021. It likely lives cross-border in Italy as well. In Switzerland, its territory probably includes not only the Onsernone Valley but also the Valle di Vergeletto. The adult wolf pair consists of the female F93 and the male M149. Camera trap footage from the canton shows five wolves — presumably the pair with three pups.

Only one livestock kill — without herd protection

The video evidence dates from the night of 27 November, the Ticino Office for Hunting and Fishing adds. This is the second wolf pair to have reproduced and been spotted on Ticino soil, following the one in the Morobbia Valley three years ago.

In 2021, the new pack caused only a single livestock kill. The animals had not been protected by herd protection measures.

This sighting was made possible thanks to the monitoring system established at cantonal level, equipped with more than 60 webcams installed at key locations across all Ticino districts (except the Mendrisiotto).

Dossier: Wolf in Switzerland: Facts, politics, and the limits of hunting