Kills despite herd protection: How is that possible?

Weak points in herd protection

Long-term herd protection monitoring shows that when wolf attacks occur despite herd protection measures, the wolf has usually found a weak point at some location. Only in the rarest cases has it learned to deliberately circumvent well-implemented protective measures.

Implementing effective herd protection measures for livestock keepers in the wildlife's core territory is always associated with additional effort, costs, and above all a learning process for the operator. The state provides generous support for this.

Biomass completely out of balance

Biomass is completely out of balance. This means that humans (34%) and their mostly non-species-appropriate livestock (65%) stand in a ratio of 99% to 1% compared to wildlife!

Residential population Switzerland December 31, 2022	8’815’400 (34 %)
Livestock: cattle, horses, sheep, goats, poultry, pigs May 9, 2023	16’526’549 (65 %)
Wildlife: deer, red deer, chamois April 1, 2021	265’585 (1 %)
Total	25’607’534 (100 %)
Slaughter figures December 31, 2022	84’122’130

Around 200,000 sheep are transported to the mountains for a few months each year. Thousands of sheep, goats, cattle die during alpine summering each year, partly due to inadequate herding practices.

«Discontinuing sheep grazing above the tree line can be a major gain for biodiversity. Populations of many wild plants and insects such as butterflies can recover. This also eases the problem livestock owners face with the wolf.»

IG Wild beim Wild

Typical errors in herd protection

In the early years, during the establishment phase of herd protection, mistakes are often made. For the most part, herds are managed in insufficiently homogenous ways, or too few livestock guardian dogs are deployed for the number of sheep and the size of the grazing area. Serious errors and deficiencies in fencing occur regularly.

Wolves observe attentively and repeatedly test and find and exploit every weak point that presents itself in the protection system. Once weak points are identified, they can usually be remedied with simple means.

That herd protection works and is feasible is demonstrated by all herders who have been successfully implementing herd protection measures for years in the midst of wolf territory, explains chwolf.ch.

Regulation via juveniles: Science approaches it differently

Across Europe, the wolf is a strictly protected animal. Wolf protection in Switzerland should not be relaxed. The Swiss population decided this in autumn 2020.

It has long been established in the literature among experts worldwide that culling has no "educative" effect on wolves. Science approaches it differently! Such amateurish actions are closer to poaching than to sound expertise.

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

Further articles

• Swiss meadows are losing massive biodiversity
• When sheep, cattle and livestock occupy wildlife space
• Swiss animal protection criticizes planned wolf culls as a threat to pack structures and herd protection
• Wolf incompetence rages in Graubünden
• Val Fex: When the herd protection concept is more full of holes than the fence
• Culling instead of protection – Switzerland on the path to silent wolf extermination
• Communication failure at the Graubünden hunting and fisheries office
• Illegal wolf hunting in Switzerland
• Wolf cubs in Switzerland under fire
• Switzerland markets wolf massacre as success
• Sloppiness in the office of Katrin Schneeberger
• Livestock grazing changes soil, plants and insect populations
• The absurd hunt for wolves in Switzerland
• The truth about sheep mortality in Switzerland: causes and statistics
• Wolf culls in Switzerland: Concern over party politician Albert Rösti
• Let's stop the SVP's destructive rage
• Participatory action: A call for change in Switzerland
• 200 environmental organizations from 6 continents call on the Swiss government: Stop the wolf cull
• Federal Council strongly criticized by wolf experts
• The consequences of controversial wolf management in Switzerland
• Wolf: Federal Councillor Rösti (SVP) circumvents law and order
• Es Burebüebli mahn i nit
• Are BAFU and hunting administrations still acting seriously?
• Federal Councillor Albert Rösti tramples on the people's will
• The consequences of controversial wolf management in Switzerland
• Too many sheep harm biodiversity
• Agricultural use destroys alpine meadows
• Kills despite herd protection, how is that possible?
• The bad apple in the St. Gallen hunting administration
• Pro Natura calls for comprehensive strategy for sheep summering
• According to Agridea study, herd protection with dogs works well
• Thanks to herd protection, wolves kill fewer livestock in Switzerland
• Farmers see fields as disposal sites
• Biomass of wildlife
• On sheep farmers and vague authorities
• The double standards of wolf opponents

Interest Group Wild beim Wild

IG Wild beim Wild is a non-profit interest group dedicated to sustainable and non-violent improvement of human-animal relations, with the organization also specializing in the legal aspects of wildlife protection. One of our main concerns is to introduce contemporary and serious wildlife management in cultural landscapes following the example of the Canton of Geneva – without recreational hunters but with competent wildlife rangers who deserve the name and act according to a code of honour. The monopoly on force belongs in the hands of the state. The organization supports scientific methods of immunocontraception for wildlife.