Politics fails to deliver on animal and species protection

The protection of endangered mammals and birds and the coexistence of people and wildlife must be improved.

This goal was confirmed by voters last autumn when they rejected the one-sided revision of the Hunting Act. On 31 March 2021, the Federal Council launched a consultation on a revision of the Hunting and Protection Ordinance (JSV).

Following the ballot box rejection of the revised Hunting Act last September, wolf protection is now to be weakened at the ordinance level – bypassing parliament.

The regulation of wolf populations should remain clearly restricted even with the proposed amendments, as before: a concrete record of damage must exist before an animal can be shot, the federal government must approve the cull, and regional populations must be preserved. 

However, cantons are now to be permitted to regulate wolf populations and shoot individual wolves once ten livestock have been killed. Previously, the threshold was 15 animals killed. In addition, for larger livestock such as cattle, horses, and llamas, the ordinance is to be clarified so that three kills are sufficient to allow intervention in a wolf pack. 

Kills are to be counted only if reasonable herd protection measures were taken beforehand, as before. For areas where wolves have not previously caused damage to livestock, the damage threshold is to be set at 15 instead of 25 livestock in one month, or 25 instead of 35 livestock over four months. 

More funding for herd protection 

Livestock protection should remain the responsibility of the animal keeper. However, federal financial support should be more generous in the future. The range of supported measures is to be expanded. Financial aid contributions are set at 80 percent for specific livestock protection measures and at 50 percent for cantonal planning work related to livestock protection. This corresponds to current practice. 

The contribution for measures deemed effective by the cantons — the so-called «further effective measures by the cantons» — is to be significantly increased. Financial compensation for these measures is to be raised from 50 to 80 percent. 

Conservation advocates want to examine the proposal 

In an initial statement, environmental organizations indicated that they would carefully examine the Federal Council's proposals. The cornerstone of wolf management, they emphasized, is livestock protection.

They expressed disappointment that the Federal Council chose not to simultaneously revise the Hunting and Protection Act (JSG) alongside the hunting ordinance.Such a revision could have improved the protection of endangered animal species and wildlife..

According to post-vote surveys, the revised hunting law was also rejected because it did not provide for improvements for endangered species. «Only a comprehensive package — combining stronger protection for wildlife with a pragmatic approach to the wolf — can implement the will of the people», the organizations stated. 

The consultation period for the amendments to the hunting ordinance runs until 5 May 2021. It is set to enter into force on 15 July 2021.

Thanks to the electorate's rejection of the hunting law, Switzerland continues to apply clear limits on the regulation of wolf populations:Concrete damage must be demonstrated, federal approval is required, and regional populations must be preserved. The cornerstone of wolf management is livestock protection. These important principles must also be met by any ordinance.Within these guardrails, nature conservation organizations are willing to assist with simplifications. Whether the Federal Council's draft meets these conditions will be revealed upon closer examination.

In the debates surrounding the vote, other wildlife also played an important role. On the one hand, the popular vote has averted the threat to lynx, beaver & Co.On the other hand, according to post-vote surveys, the revised hunting law was also rejected because it would not have better protected endangered species. There is still much work to be done. Conservation organizations are therefore calling for a swift new revision of the Hunting and Protection Act (JSG) that guarantees the protection of wildlife. Only with a comprehensive package — consisting of stronger wildlife protection and a pragmatic approach to wolves — can the will of the people be implemented.

Incomprehensible rejection of measures for mountain communities

The National Council's Environment Committee had already approved a Parliamentary Initiative for a new, balanced JSG revision back in November 2020; the Council of States committee rejected it in January. In October, motions were submitted in the National Council for improved herd protection and simplified compensation for wolf kills. During the budget deliberations in the December session, proposals were also made to increase compensation for herd protection and wolf kills. Unfortunately, all of them were rejected.

Conservation organizations are disappointed that, despite the grand promises from all sides, there has so far been no political majority for these improvements. Valuable time has thus been lost. Conservation organizations are now willing to support individual adjustments at the ordinance level. However, they expect that legitimate protection demands will also be addressed swiftly in a legislative revision.