Wolves hunted preventively for five months? Hunting Act revision

Preventive regulation since November 2023

In 2022, parliament revised the Hunting Act in several areas.

The law now enables the preventive regulation of the wolf population.

In order to quickly reduce the unnecessarily provoked conflicts — due to a lack of herd protection — between alpine farming and the wolf, the Federal Council provisionally brought part of the Hunting Ordinance into force on 1 November 2023. In the past December and January, the cantons intervened preventively in the growing wolf population for the first time, causing a massacre in the process. Within two months, more than 50 wolves were killed with the help of hobby hunters. Entire packs wiped out. Animals that had never caused any problems, simply shot dead. 350 environmental organisations from 6 continents criticised the unscientific approach taken by Federal Councillor Albert Rösti (SVP).

In addition, the Federal Council's new Hunting Ordinance provides for interventions targeting other protected species such as the ibex and the beaver.

Herd protection is also to be reorganised.

On 27 March 2024, the Federal Council opened the consultation process on this matter. It runs until 5 July 2024. The revised Hunting Ordinance is scheduled to enter into force on 1 February 2025.

Amendments to the Hunting Ordinance in detail

Preventive regulation of the wolf population: The Hunting Ordinance stipulates that the cantons may preventively regulate the wolf population each year from 1 September to 31 January — that is, before the wolves have caused any damage. Certain conditions must be met for this to apply. The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) must approve the cantons' regulation requests. Ibex colonies may also be preventively regulated in autumn.

According to the new hunting ordinance, cantons may reactively regulate wolf packs causing damage during the summer months, i.e. after damage has occurred. These culls are ordered by the cantons, subject to prior approval from FOEN. Cantons may shoot individual wolves that pose a threat to humans. In this case, no approval from FOEN is required, according to the FOEN press release.

Wildlife damage, herd protection and wildlife corridors

Prevention and compensation of wildlife damage: The revised hunting ordinance is intended to more clearly regulate the prevention and compensation of wildlife damage. This concerns damage caused by predators to livestock and damage caused by beavers to infrastructure installations. The reasonable measures for preventing damage and the compensation of any resulting damage are to be defined.

New regulation of herd protection: The new regulatory framework for the organisation of herd protection established in the hunting act is being given concrete form. It is envisaged that cantons will receive greater powers and that administrative procedures will be simplified.

Strengthening wildlife corridors: Wildlife corridors of supra-regional importance are to be anchored in a national inventory in agreement with the cantons. In addition, measures are to be defined to maintain and restore the connectivity of these key sites for wildlife migration.

Promotion of wildlife habitats: Provisions are to be established for how the federal government financially supports the promotion of habitats in federal hunting reserves as well as in federal water and migratory bird reserves.

Advisory services for wildlife conflicts: The revised hunting ordinance provides for the tasks of the existing documentation centre to be expanded, in particular to strengthen advisory support for cantonal authorities in resolving wildlife conflicts.

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

Participatory campaign: Demand a tax remission request from your municipality for federal and cantonal taxes on the grounds of the catastrophic policies of Federal Councillor Albert Rösti (SVP) and the recently approved culling of wolves in Switzerland. You can download the template letter here: https://wildbeimwild.com/ein-appell-fuer-eine-veraenderung-in-der-schweiz/