Uri: Shooting permit issued for wolf
On 31 May 2022, the Directorate of Security issued a shooting order for a wolf causing damage, after the damage threshold under federal law had been reached.
The shooting order is valid for 60 days.
The shooting perimeter corresponds to the "Alpine concept perimeter Upper Reuss Valley". However, federal law prohibits killing the wolf within the area of the federal hunting reserve Fellital.
Between 23 April 2022 and 10 May 2022, there were various indications (in particular visual sightings) of the presence of a lone wolf in the Upper Uri region (municipalities of Göschenen, Wassen, Gurtnellen). Between 14 and 23 May 2022, in the municipality of Wassen in the area between "Hubel" and "Urschlauwi" (within the perimeter of the federal hunting reserve Fellital), a total of 5 goats and 13 sheep were killed by the wolf in at least three attacks. 7 sheep were killed on two agricultural land areas (LN areas) without protective measures and could not, under applicable federal law, be counted toward the "shooting quota".
Damage threshold reached
Under federal hunting legislation, cantons may at any time order measures against individual protected animals causing significant damage, in order to prevent wildlife damage. Significant damage to livestock by an individual wolf is deemed to have occurred when at least 10 livestock animals are killed within its range within a period of four months, provided that wolf damage has already been recorded in the area previously (wolf presence zone). However, the herds must either be protected or not reasonably capable of being protected.
In the present case, the herds were technically unprotected. However, the attacks occurred in the alpine area (home pasture of Wassen) covered by the "Alpine Concept Upper Reuss Valley" project. During the period in which the concept is being developed, the corresponding alpine pastures within the project area are considered to be protected. This arrangement was agreed upon by the Office of Agriculture and the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) in 2017.
The alpine area «Kuhweide Wassen» is considered a wolf presence zone. Following attacks resulting in a total of 5 goats and 6 sheep killed, the damage threshold of 10 livestock killed has been reached.
No shooting in the hunting reserve
Since further attacks must be expected in the remaining project area «Alpkonzept Oberes Reusstal», the Security Directorate issued an order on 31 May 2022 for the shooting of this damaging wolf. The shooting permit is limited to 60 days. The shooting perimeter corresponds to the «Alpkonzeptgebiet Oberes Reusstal». Under federal law, the wolf may not be shot in the area of the federal hunting reserve Fellital. The hunting division of the Office of Forestry and Hunting is responsible for enforcing the shooting order. The shooting will primarily be carried out by cantonal wildlife wardens and, if necessary, specially designated hunters.
Association criticises Uri shooting permit
The association CHWolf has strongly condemned the shooting permit for a wolf issued by the canton of Uri. The shooting permit does not comply with the applicable Federal Hunting Ordinance, the association criticised in a statement issued on Whit Monday.
The association CHWolf argues in a press release that seven sheep were killed on two agricultural areas without any protective measures in place and therefore should not be counted towards the «shooting quota». The remaining animals had also technically not been protected, but the attacks had occurred in the alpine area. During the period in which the concept is being drawn up, the relevant alpine pastures in the project area are considered to be protected.
The association also raises the question of how seriously the issue of herd protection is being addressed in the canton of Uri at all, given that after five years of developing this concept, no herd protection measures have been implemented whatsoever. Furthermore, such an agreement does not release livestock owners from their responsibility to effectively protect their animals against wolf or other predator attacks.
Situation in Ticino
The situation is similar on the other side of the San Gottardo massif: the Ticino authorities approved the killing of a wolf in the Rovana Valley in mid-May, after it had killed 19 sheep in April. So far, the hunters have had no luck.
The Hunting and Fishing Office confirmed the latest wolf attack in the Leventina, where 4 sheep were killed in the area of Faido. Since the beginning of 2022, the wolf has already made its presence felt on multiple occasions.
Among predators, the total quota from last year — when 37 animals were attacked — has already been exceeded in 2022, with 43 animals killed. The previous record dates back to 2020 with 59 animals, followed by 2015 with 51, and 2004 and 2019 with 47 animals each.
Since the return of the large predator south of the Alps — from the first documented attack on Monte Carasso in 2001 — a total of 455 livestock have been preyed upon by wolves on cantonal territory.
The most recent killing on Swiss soil dates back to last month: in Valais, a wolf was shot that had repeatedly attacked flocks of sheep and goats and had slaughtered a total of 28 livestock in protected situations.
Dossier: Wolf in Switzerland: Facts, Politics and the Limits of Hunting
