Many people in Valais would prefer that the wolves not come forth and multiply.
Keystone
Thousands of people are calling for canton Valais in south-western Switzerland to be a predator-free zone. Their initiative specifically targets the wolf, the lynx and the bear.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Not content to mind her own business, Susan studied journalism in Boston so she’d have the perfect excuse to put herself in other people’s shoes and worlds. When not writing, she presents and produces podcasts and videos.
The people’s initiative, launched by the Christian Democratic PartyExternal link and the Upper Valais Christian-Social People’s PartyExternal link, is supposed to build on the cantonal constitution, which calls for the local government to defend Valais from large predators and to keep their numbers down. Specifically, it bans their import into and release within the canton, along with any activity promoting large populations.
The initiative is designed to regulate the local populations more precisely, and it would allow Valais to decide just how many wolves and lynx it wants to tolerate.
Over the years, farmers have often complained about predators killing their livestock. Last autumn, wildlife authorities confirmed the presence of a wolf pack – two parents and at least three cubs – in Upper Valais for the first time. Some 9,500 people signed the initiative; at this level, it takes just 6,000 valid signatures to bring such an initiative to vote.
Livestock-guarding dogs
However, the initiative contradicts the Bern ConventionExternal link, a European treaty for conserving wildlife. Canton Valais would not be allowed to terminate its obligation to adhere to the convention.
At a media conference in Sion on Monday evening, national parliamentarian Roberto Schmidt said he would exert pressure on the Swiss government.
“For WWF, the initiative is not an important political issue. Even if it goes through, it won’t change anything,” Laura Schmid, head of WWF SwitzerlandExternal link’s Upper Valais branch, told swissinfo.ch. “There are already measures in place to regulate numbers and protect local livestock.”
For example, a federal programme promotes the use of livestock-guarding dogs to deter predators. Wolf attacks are rare when the herd is protected sufficiently, Schmid noted.
According to WWF, Switzerland is home to about 160 lynx and 30-35 wolves. Some 40-50 bears live in the Alps, but not in Switzerland, where they are considered extinct.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
How centuries of Swiss emigrants left their mark on the US
Bodycams: essential for good law enforcement, or a privacy risk?
Did you ever come across bodycams in your place of residence and if so, how do you think the use of bodycams alter the relationship between the public and (transport) police?
This content was published on
While wolves are making a comeback in Switzerland they are also encroaching on mountain pastures, leaving behind a trail of dead sheep.
This content was published on
According information published in the regional paper Urner Zeitung on Saturday, a total of 23 hunters and nine game guards were involved in the hunt for the animal, that added up to a total of 1,066 man hours. The canid, identified as M28, was responsible for the death of around 70 sheep in the region.…
This content was published on
The cabinet announced on Wednesday its proposed reforms to the hunting law. These will now be discussed by various groups and both chambers of parliament. Problems have arisen in Switzerland since large carnivores started regaining territory. In particular, livestock owners in mountain areas have had a strained relationship with wolves, which attack and kill sheep…
This content was published on
Walter Hildbrand was mandated by the Federal Environment Office in 2002 to carry out a project on herd protection in the mountain village of Jeizinen in canton Valais. It has since become a permanent centre. He tests his Maremma sheepdogs to see how they can be used to protect flocks of sheep. Opponents keep a…
This content was published on
In Switzerland, defenders and opponents of the wolf form irreconcilable camps. Two decades after the return of the predator, which is protected by an international convention, the country is still polarised.
This content was published on
In summer, in Valais, as in many other alpine regions, sheep are driven from the valleys up to high pastures. In recent years sheep farmers have seen their flocks increasingly under threat from the growing wolf population. The federal government, the canton of Valais and the agriculture development agency Agridea are working on a pilot…
This content was published on
At its annual meeting in Strasbourg, France, the permanent committee of the Bern Convention – a Council of Europe accord on wildlife and natural habitat conservation – turned down the proposal. It said that the current protection status for wolves in Europe is enough to address problems tied to wolf management in Switzerland and the rest of the…
This content was published on
Llamas are being tested as part of a pilot project in 12 alpine areas. Swiss TV visited one of the llama guards at Col des Mosses in the canton of Vaud. (RTS/swissinfo.ch)
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.