Swiss environment office appeals against wolf cull suspension

Since the authorisations were issued by the federal authorities, eight wolves have been shot in canton Graubünden and 14 in canton Valais, according to the latest count. © Keystone / Michael Buholzer

The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has filed an appeal with the Federal Administrative Court in order to resume the shooting of wolf packs in Switzerland.

The environment office wants the court to lift the suspension effect resulting from recent appeals by nature conservation groups against a federal government decision to authorise the shooting of wolf packs.

Last week, the Swiss court blocked the culling of three wolf packs in canton Valais in southern Switzerland following an appeal by environmental groups.

+ Canton Valais halts wolf culling after NGO appeal

The suspensive effect of appeals against shooting authorisations has also given wolves in canton Graubünden a reprieve.

The environment office’s move was first reported on Saturday by Swiss public radio SRF and confirmed to the Keystone-ATS news agency. On Friday, Valais minister Frédéric Favre also announced that Valais was requesting the suspensive effect to be lifted.

+ How many wolves are good for Switzerland?

The revision of Switzerland’s hunting law introduced the possibility for cantonal authorities to regulate wolf populations on a temporary basis until January 31, 2024, subject to the approval of the FOEN.

Before the environmentalists appealed to the Federal Administrative Court, the FOEN had given the greenlight to the Valais and Graubünden authorities to shoot twelve wolf packs. But it had refused a request from canton Ticino to shoot a pack in the Val Onsernone region.

+ When it’s legal to shoot the wrong wolf

On Tuesday, the Swiss Farmers’ Union and the Swiss Association for the Alpine Economy (SSEA) expressed their shock at the sharp increase in the number of wolves in Valais and Graubünden, which has tripled in three years to around 300 animals. This poses a threat to the Alpine economy and livestock, they claim.

Since the authorisations were issued by the federal authorities, eight wolves have been shot in canton Graubünden and 14 in canton Valais, according to the latest count.

The environmental organisations Pro Natura, WWF, BirdLife and the Swiss Wolf Group believe that the federal and cantonal authorities are not respecting the principle of proportionality with such wolf culls. They stress the important role played by the wolf in forest ecosystems.

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