Wolves in Switzerland: cull or protect?
Switzerland’s growing wolf population is a hot topic. While farmers were relieved by last week's Federal Council decision on preventive culling, the announcement also met with criticism. What are your thoughts on the wolf issue? Join the discussion on "dialogue".
The wolf population in Switzerland has risen sharply in recent years. As a result, the number of livestock killed by wolves has also increased: from 446 animals in 2019 to 1,480 last year. Changes to the hunting law presented last week by Environment Minister Albert Rösti are aimed at helping farmers and shepherds who are worried about their animals. Under the new rules, from December 1, wolves may be shot preventively, and entire packs can be shot in justified cases. According to the federal government, in the future at least twelve wolf packs must live in Switzerland; currently, there are 32.
This week, authorities in canton Graubünden in south-east Switzerland reacted quickly following the federal government move and filed an application to authorise the “complete removal” of four of the twelve wolf packs currently living there. According to a press release, all four packs have either attacked livestock or got around herd protection measures.
While farmers have expressed relief over the government’s decision, environmental and animal protection organisations have criticised the cull, calling it arbitrary.
The “dialogue” editorial team has put together a selection of articles about wolves in Switzerland, which reflect the different perspectives on the topic from all the national language regions. For example, Maurizio Minoletti explains why he gave up his profession after seven years working in the mountains: his livestock losses caused by wolves were just too much for him. Others take justice into their own hands, killing wolves that are a threat to their animals. Farmers also use guard dogs to protect their herd, a measure that has encountered unexpected opposition in the valley. Researchers are also testing a pheromone-loaded collar designed to keep wolves away from their livestock.
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What do you think? Should wolves be shot preventively if they pose a threat to livestock? Or should the predator be better protected, and other measures be deployed to protect farm animals?
Our editorial team uses AI to translate both the articles and the multilingual debate into the four national languages and English. Therefore, you can join the discussion using your national language or English and debate with people from all over Switzerland as well as with Swiss living abroad.
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What is “dialogue”?
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