Controversial Wolf Management in Switzerland
Switzerland is violating the Bern Convention with its wolf culling policy.
CHWOLF files complaint with the Bern Convention
According to CHWOLF's assessment, Switzerland is violating the Bern Convention with its future wolf management policy and is also undermining the international efforts of the IUCN in the European Alpine region.
CHWOLF is therefore filing a complaint with the Bern Convention.
On 1 December 2023, a new hunting ordinance with a massive relaxation of wolf protection is set to come into force in Switzerland. Federal Councillor Albert Rösti and his Department of the Environment are planning to shoot 70% of Switzerland's wolf population. A veritable wolf massacre is on the cards.
The Bern Convention and Switzerland's violations
The wolf is listed in Appendix II of the Bern Convention as a strictly protected species. According to Article 6, any intentional killing of these animals is fundamentally prohibited. However, Article 9 permits exceptions in certain situations. If entire packs in Switzerland are now regularly shot preventively, without having caused any damage, simply because the politically motivated threshold for individual wolf regions has been exceeded and future damage to livestock would be possible, this is not compatible with Article 9. This article may only be applied in exceptional cases and not as a general rule.
Swiss culling policy endangers Alpine population
The Swiss wolf population is part of the Alpine population. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a minimum of 20 packs would be needed in Switzerland to achieve a favorable conservation status. With the implementation of the new hunting ordinance with a threshold of 12 packs, Switzerland falls far short of the minimum for a favorable conservation status, thereby endangering the entire Alpine population and the vitally important genetic exchange in the Alpine region. With this wolf policy, the wolf could even be completely exterminated again in Switzerland.
Dossier: Wolf in Switzerland: Facts, Politics and the Limits of Hunting
Further Articles
- Swiss meadows are losing biodiversity at an alarming rate
- When sheep, cattle and others occupy wildlife habitat
- Swiss animal protection organization criticizes planned wolf culls as a threat to pack structures and livestock protection
- In Graubünden, wolf mismanagement runs rampant
- Val Fex: When the livestock protection concept has more holes than the fence
- Culling instead of protection – Switzerland on the path to silent wolf extermination
- Communication failure at the Office for Hunting and Fishing in Graubünden
- Illegal wolf hunting in Switzerland
- Wolf cubs in Switzerland caught in the crossfire
- Switzerland sells wolf massacre as success
- Bungling in the office of Katrin Schneeberger
- Livestock grazing alters the soil, plant life and insect populations
- The insane hunt for wolves in Switzerland
- The truth about sheep mortality in Switzerland: causes and statistics
- Wolf culls in Switzerland: concerns over party politician Albert Rösti
- Let us stop the SVP’s destructive fury
- Participation campaign: An appeal for change in Switzerland
- 200 environmental organizations from 6 continents call on the Swiss government: Stop the wolf cull
- Federal Councillor faces sharp criticism from wolf experts
- The consequences of controversial wolf management in Switzerland
- Wolf: Federal Councillor Rösti (SVP) circumvents the rule of law
- Es Burebüebli mahn i nit
- Are BAFU and the hunting authorities still operating responsibly?
- Federal Councillor Albert Rösti tramples the will of the people
- The consequences of controversial wolf management in Switzerland
- Too many sheep harm biodiversity
- Agricultural use destroys Alpine meadows
- Kills despite livestock protection – how is that possible?
- The rotten apple in the St. Gallen hunting administration
- Pro Natura calls for a comprehensive strategy for summer sheep grazing
- According to the Agridea study, livestock protection with dogs works well
- Thanks to livestock protection, wolves in Switzerland kill fewer farm animals
- Farmers treat fields as disposal sites
- Biomass of wildlife
- On sheep farmers and elusive authorities
- The double standards of wolf opponents
