Statement on the planned wolf regulation in the Lower Engadine

The planned regulation of the “Clemgia” wolf pack violates applicable law and conservation principles.

Editorial team Wild beim Wild — 11 October 2025

The announced shooting permit for juveniles of the newly established “Clemgia” wolf pack is legally and ecologically untenable.

A new wolf pack has been confirmed in the Lower Engadine. Based on spatially and temporally mutually exclusive observations, a second wolf pack, “Clemgia,” with at least three pups can be assumed to exist alongside the Sinestra pack.

Several DNA samples have been submitted for the genetic identification of the reproducing animals. Only limited information is currently available regarding the territory of the “Clemgia” pack. The pack has so far been recorded predominantly south of the Inn, while the wolves of the “Sinestra” pack spent the summer months primarily north of the Inn.

For the “Clemgia” pack, the Office for Hunting and Nonsense in Chur is already preparing an application for the regulation of up to two thirds of this year’s juveniles.

Legal Assessment

According to Art. 4 of the Hunting Ordinance (JSV), regulation is only permissible if significant damage to livestock has been demonstrated and reasonable herd protection measures have been implemented. Neither condition is met in the case of “Clemgia.” A preventive killing therefore contradicts the principle of proportionality and the requirement of demonstrated harm.

The Bern Convention (Art. 6 and 9) also only permits exceptions to the protection of the wolf if no other satisfactory solution exists and the measure does not adversely affect the population. The planned culling of two thirds of the juveniles of an unremarkable pack does not meet these conditions and is therefore contrary to international law.

Ecological Assessment

The «Clemgia» pack is an expression of a stabilizing wolf population. The targeted killing of young animals destroys the social structure of the pack, promotes instability, and increases the medium-term risk of livestock depredation (cf. Treves et al. 2016; Santiago-Ávila et al. 2018). A supposedly «preventive» regulation is therefore scientifically unfounded and counterproductive.

The planned regulation is:

unlawful (violation of the JSV and the Berne Convention),
scientifically unfounded,
and harmful to conservation policy.

It does not constitute an objectively justified intervention, but rather a symbolic political weakening of species protection.

The hunting scandal in the canton of Grisons is negatively renowned far beyond the cantonal borders and into foreign countries. The Grisons hobby hunting scene is simply criminal and marked by violence and animal cruelty. Our legal system has simply not yet advanced far enough to properly address this in criminal law. Every year, over 1,000 administrative fines are issued against Grisons hobby hunters and dozens of complaints are filed.

Natural disaster: hobby hunters

In the state of disorder in which nature finds itself after decades of so-called stewardship by hobby hunters, the proportion of threatened species is higher than in any other country in the world — and Switzerland leads this dismal ranking. These contract killers have been creating an ecological imbalance in the cultivated landscape for decades, with sometimes dramatic consequences (protective forests, diseases, agricultural damage, and much more). Over one third of plant, wildlife, and fungal species are considered threatened. Switzerland also ranks last in Europe when it comes to designating protected areas for biodiversity. It is precisely these circles of hobby hunters, through their lobbying work via politics, media, and legislation, who have been responsible for this situation for decades. They are the ones who notoriously block contemporary, ethical improvements in animal welfare and sabotage serious animal and species protection efforts. Hobby hunters regularly oppose more national parks in Switzerland because their concern is not nature, biodiversity, species protection, or animal welfare, but rather the pursuit of their perverse, bloody hobby.

Did you know …

that in Switzerland innocent young wolves are being liquidated?
that hobby hunters lie when assessing game meat quality and that processed game meat is classified as carcinogenic by the WHO — just like cigarettes, asbestos, or arsenic?
that according to a study, nowhere is the lead contamination of golden eagles and bearded vultures higher than in the Swiss Alps, due to the ammunition used by hobby hunters?
that the fair chase ethics of hobby hunters is diametrically opposed to animal protection law and is nothing but a mirage?
that hunting is war where animal competitors are simply eliminated?
that there are countless illegal and unmarked hunting blinds in our natural environment, some so rotten that they pose a danger to children and can cause people to fall to their deaths?
that year after year, countless people are killed or injured by hunters' weapons, some so severely that they end up in wheelchairs or have limbs amputated?
that in Switzerland, around 120,000 perfectly healthy roe deer, red deer, foxes, marmots, and chamois are killed each year, mostly without purpose?
that because of hobby hunters, it has become nearly impossible today to live in harmony with wildlife or to see wild animals at all?
that shotgun blasts make hares scream like small children, and tear apart the entrails of “shot” roe deer and red deer so that they leave a trail of blood while fleeing for tracking purposes?
that the claim by hobby hunters that the cruel wildlife massacres are necessary to regulate animal populations has been scientifically refuted?
that hobby hunters openly admit that hunting is about the “pleasure of killing” and “the joy of making a kill,” driven by a pathological obsession?
that hobby hunters have no sixth sense, yet regularly claim they only shoot sick and weak animals — which is of course not true in practice?
that hobby hunters travel abroad for trophy hunting, far beyond any species or hunting protection regulations, and that there are even Swiss hobby hunter travel operators offering such depraved hunting pleasures?
that the vast majority are not licensed professional hunters, but pursue hunting as a hobby, sport, and leisure activity — which is morally indefensible and effectively contradicts animal protection law?
that 99.07% of civilized people in Switzerland are not hobby hunters, meaning only 0.3% of hobby hunters take pleasure in these bloody activities?
that these wildlife killers do not hunt on the basis of scientific justifications?
that protected species actually do not belong under hunting law, because hobby hunters are overwhelmed by species conservation and repeatedly shoot animals listed on the Red List — such as lynx, wolf, brown hare, partridge, quail, etc. — for fun?
that hobby hunters deliberately decimate certain animal species in order to eliminate competition for their unnatural behavior (fox, lynx, wolf, birds of prey, etc.)?
that wildlife dies before the hobby hunter can even fire a single shot, that preventing this is the goal, and that this is arguably the central idea behind wildlife management and hunting plans?
that with wild boar (and foxes), normally only the lead sow produces young, but due to her being shot, all female animals within the sounder reproduce, and that this is also a reason why we have a wild boar surplus?
that grazing animals — deer, roe deer, etc. — originally lived mainly as diurnal animals in fields and meadows, like goats, sheep, cows, etc., and not in the forest?
that the wolf is vitally important for the long-term health of wild ungulates, because it hunts sick or weak animals with incredible precision, for example, and is thereby vastly superior to hobby hunters?
that foxes, after being senselessly hunted, usually end up in the trash?
that foxes are today hunted mainly so that there are more hares, etc. for hobby hunters to put in the frying pan? That the fox, however, feeds on hares in fewer than 10% of cases and would never catch a healthy hare?
that in animal protection, one cannot confront hobby hunters with gentleness alone, street festivals, prayer chains, etc. (you have to fight fire with fire)?
that hobby hunters, with their hunters' tall tales engage in a disrespectful mockery of living beings?
that it is frowned upon to shoot big game at feeding stations or during mating season, yet the hobby hunter has no scruples about doing exactly this to their competitor the fox?
that in some cantons, hobby hunters go hunting solely for the tender meat of a young animal?
that hobby hunters shoot pregnant mother animals in front of their young, or only shoot young animals during the rearing period (post-special-hunt)?
that hobby hunters poison the environment, nature, humans, and animals with their ammunition?
that bestiality, barbarism, cruelty, bloodshed, and senseless suffering cannot be considered cultural heritage in a civilized society?
that hobby hunters shoot approximately 10’000 roe deer fawns every year?
that hobby hunters in harsh winters lure starving animals with bait only to shoot them in a treacherous and cowardly manner?
that hobby hunters drive attack-trained dogs into burrows to eliminate foxes and badgers (earth hunting)?
that hobby hunters lure peaceful creatures into box traps, where they may suffer for days awaiting their killer, or are often subjected to an agonizing death struggle lasting hours (trap hunting)?
that hobby hunters cowardly ambush and kill or injure peaceful wild animals while they sleep or bask in the sun, using state-of-the-art precision weapons?
that hobby hunters support awards, fur markets, prize ceremonies for trophy culture, trophy shows, the fur trade, etc.?
that hobby hunters place firearms into the hands of underage schoolchildren and practice killing with them?
that hobby hunters often carry out their cruel acts in isolation, which encourages animal cruelty?
that hobby hunters often only seriously wound wild animals, and the victims frequently suffer for hours in extreme pain and fear until a tracking dog finds them and they are shot?
that hobby hunters (apart from vivisection) inflict the most suffering and abuse on animals, including through the manner of killing?
that the hunter's supposed love of animals and nature does not take pleasure in the existence of the beloved object, but rather aims to possess the beloved creature body and soul, culminating in turning it into prey through the act of killing?
that hobby hunters actively promote browsing damage through hunting pressure, particularly on predators such as fox, lynx and wolf?
that hobby hunters open the door to antisocial, unethical and unchristian behaviour?
that hobby hunters deny the public normal, natural wildlife observations and interactions?
that there is no greater product of suffering — and one contaminated with ammunition residues — than venison?
that there is no uniform regulation across Switzerland regarding vision tests, shooting practice, etc. for hobby hunters?
that there is no psychological character assessment for hobby hunters?
that there is no alcohol prohibition for hobby hunters when they shoot at animals with their weapons?
that hobby hunters infiltrate educational institutions to push their hunters' jargon and their violence onto children?
that a court in Bellinzona recently confirmed that hunting associations promote virtually everything that is cruel, unnecessary and heartless?
that the association «Jagd Schweiz» cultivates above all disrespect and a culture of violence – precisely the opposite of what a civilised person in our society should aspire to.
that in the canton of Grisons alone, more than 1‘000 reports and fines are issued against hobby hunters every year?