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The wolf is on the hook. Under pressure from Federal Councilor Albert Rösti (56), the federal government changed direction. The wolf hunt is already in full swing in Valais. Within 18 days, 17 wolves have already been killed – half of the target.
The Department of Hunting, Fishing and Wildlife was “satisfied” with this result, it announced on Monday at the request of the Keystone-SDA news agency. In November, the State Council declared that the operation would be a “great success” if the canton managed to kill “between ten and fifteen” wolves in the next two months.
The “surprise effect” played a role
According to the canton’s count, seven wolves from the Augstbord pack and another seven from the Eringer pack were killed on Monday. Two wolves came from the Nanz pack and one from the Toules pack.
Fourteen animals were shot by professional game wardens, three by hunters with a special permit.
The “surprise effect” certainly played a role in this result, especially in the first shootings,” said Hunting, Fisheries and Wildlife Department head Nicolas Bourquin when asked about Keystone-SDA. He also emphasized “the great efforts of the people who stood outside every evening.”
“Preventive cuts”
The success of the launches was “multifactorial,” Bourquin specified. It depends on snow conditions, proximity to roads, the movements of the wolf’s prey such as deer or the presence of federal hunting areas where shooting is prohibited.
The head of the hunting authority also noted that of the seventeen wolves killed, thirteen were juveniles and four were adults. This is in line with the federal government’s recommendations to primarily target young people.
On November 1, the Federal Council temporarily put into effect the first part of the amendment to the Hunting Act. This gave the cantons the opportunity to implement “preventive cuts” in December and January, provided they received approval from the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).
Wolf hunting now in court
During these two months, Valais was authorized to kill more than half of the thirteen packs moving through its territory, i.e. at least 34 of the approximately one hundred wolves. The targeted packs were Nanz, Augstbord, Hérens-Mandelon, Le Fou-Isérables, Les Toules, Les Hauts-Forts and Chablais.
However, early last week the Federal Administrative Court blocked the “preventive killing” of the three packs Les Hauts-Forts, Nanz and Le Fou-Isérables due to a complaint from several environmental organizations. They believe that the federal government and the cantons are ignoring the “principle of proportionality and the important role that predators play in the forest ecosystem.” The Bafu has now submitted a request to the Federal Administrative Court to lift the suspensive effect. (SDA/oco)
Source:Blick
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