Zurich: Government Council Rejects Initiative «Wildlife Wardens Instead of Hunters»
The Government Council sees no advantage in banning the tried-and-tested militia hunting system and transferring wildlife management to state-employed wildlife wardens. It points to the effective functioning of hunting in the current hunting districts and the high level of expertise among hunters. Without them, it fears high costs as well as damage to agricultural crops and forests. It is asking the Cantonal Council to
The Government Council sees no advantage in banning the tried-and-tested militia hunting system and transferring wildlife management to state-employed wildlife wardens.
It points to the effective functioning of hunting in the current hunting districts and the high level of expertise among hunters. Without them, it fears high costs as well as damage to agricultural crops and forests. It is asking the Cantonal Council to reject the popular initiative «Wildlife Wardens Instead of Hunters» without a counter-proposal.
The traditional militia hunting system, carried out by well-trained hunters to regulate wildlife populations, has proven its worth for decades in the canton of Zurich. A cantonal popular initiative, however, seeks to ban hunting and transfer oversight of wildlife populations to state-employed wildlife wardens. It would largely leave the development of wildlife populations in our cultural landscape — heavily used by agriculture, forestry, and recreational visitors — to take care of itself. The Government Council rejects this proposal. It points to the inadequate effectiveness of a purely state-run wildlife warden system, the anticipated high levels of damage to agriculture and forestry, and the substantial costs — between 20 and 30 million francs per year depending on the method of calculation. It is asking the Cantonal Council to reject the popular initiative «Wildlife Wardens Instead of Hunters» without a counter-proposal.
Animal populations only regulate themselves in the wild
The cantonal government points out that hunting exists to balance the biological needs of wildlife with the demands of humans in our intensively used cultural landscape. The hunting-based regulation of wildlife populations and intervention in cases of sick and injured animals is absolutely necessary in a human-used landscape and is scientifically recognized. Only in wilderness untouched by human influence can wildlife populations regulate themselves. If roe deer, red deer, and wild boar populations were no longer regulated in the canton of Zurich, they would increase uncontrollably and quickly far exceed the available habitat capacity. This would require massive fencing of agricultural crops and young forests, which would be enormously costly and would fragment the already heavily fragmented wildlife habitats even further. Since this is hardly feasible, very large grazing and browsing damages in fields and forests, as well as damage in residential areas, would be unavoidable. The higher wildlife density would also demonstrably lead to more traffic accidents involving wildlife and to the spread of wildlife diseases.
Tenants know their territory
Today's militia-style hunting in game districts organized largely along municipal boundaries is, by contrast, a well-established system. Authorities and associations, agriculture and forestry, nature conservation, and hunting work closely together. Hunters possess the necessary detailed local knowledge, local roots, and high presence in their territory that the few cantonal game wardens would not have — the initiative's proponents speak of 40, while the cantonal government estimates at least 80 to 90 game wardens would be required. In contrast, there are currently over 850 hunters who, through leasing, are responsible for a territory. They devote an average of around 400 hours per year each of their free time and without pay to hunting, maintaining their territories, preventing wildlife damage, and responding to accidents involving wildlife — at all hours of the day and night, totaling around 400’000 hours per year.
Hunters are excellently trained
Only those who have completed several years of hunting training may become active members of a hunting association responsible for a territory under a lease agreement. First, a theory exam and a shooting test must be passed. The theory exam requires candidates to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge not only in hunting practice, but also in wildlife biology, species and habitat protection, animal welfare, ecology, and the legal foundations of hunting law. The shooting test assesses safe handling of hunting weapons and marksmanship. This is followed by at least two years of practical hunting experience in a training territory. The actual hunter's examination then provides a final, comprehensive assessment of both theoretical and practical hunting knowledge. Marksmanship is also tested anew each year. Hunters are therefore thoroughly prepared for their demanding role in service of the public.
Don't gamble away what works
Hunting associations are obliged to regulate wildlife populations in their territory in accordance with cantonal guidelines. They pay an annual lease fee and must contribute a share of any compensation for wildlife damage. They therefore provide a great deal of unpaid work. For these reasons, among others financial, the current militia-style hunting system is a sound solution for the canton and its population. The cantonal government has no wish to gamble away this well-balanced and proven system, but intends to uphold it with conviction.
