This is the number of animals shot for game consumption in Switzerland

Autumn is here and with it the delicious autumn food. The restaurant’s menu once again features dishes such as “pumpkin soup as a starter and a succulent roast game dish served with mushroom sauce and red cabbage as a main course”. But what many people don’t know is that only a fraction of game meat comes from Switzerland.

Most of the game meat sold is imported. In 2022, approximately 2,646 tonnes were delivered to Switzerland, with the majority of the meat imported from Europe. According to the Swiss meat industry organization Proviande, the demand for game cannot be met with local game. One reason for this is the limited hunting season in Switzerland. However, in 2022 there was a record domestic share of 38.4 percent, equivalent to 1,637 tons.

Compared to other meats, game meat is rarely consumed and therefore remains a niche product. Consumption per capita in Switzerland was 480 grams in 2022. By comparison, meat consumption per capita the year before was 50.8 kilograms.

Before the game meat ends up on the plate, the animal must first be hunted down and killed. To do this, hunters must adhere to hunting seasons and hunting laws.

In most cantons the hunting year lasts from April 1 to March 31 of the following year. In the 2022 hunting year, a total of 129,238 animals were shot (excluding fallen game), including 22,204 birds and 101,315 mammals. In addition, 5,719 special killings were carried out. Fallen game means game that dies without violence from a hunter; in 2022 there were 38,236 animals.

Melitta Maradi, director of Wild Animal Switzerland, explains the reasons for the hunt as follows:

In addition to the two hunting systems, the federal government also applies different laws to the cantons. The cantons are responsible for adhering to and reviewing the guidelines, which are being closely monitored, according to Melitta Maradi, Managing Director of Wildlife Switzerland:

Hunters may not kill animals indiscriminately, but must adhere to specified livestock guidelines and hunting laws when shooting them. For example, the hunter must report the hunted animal to the canton within 24 hours. Protected animal species may not be shot or may only be shot up to a certain number.

Hunting also regulates the population of unprotected animals. In 2022, 39,431 red deer, 136,325 roe deer, 86,287 chamois and 19,095 ibex lived in Switzerland. Due to the high deer population, more deer are shot. The wild boar population cannot be precisely determined because tracking the animals is difficult and estimates for this species would be inaccurate.

However, animals are not only hunted to regulate livestock, but also for the consumption of game meat, for example. All animals that can be eaten are also recycled and used for game meat consumption.

Not only the animals known for their game meat are hunted, but several others as well.

The following image shows just a selection of the animals that were shot. In addition, animals such as raccoons, otters, nutria and wild rabbits are also affected by hunting.
According to hunting statistics published by the Federal Office for the Environment, the populations of the animals cannot be clearly determined here either. This is criticized by animal rights activists.

Because the fox population is highly valued, a corresponding number of foxes can be shot.

Most birds are not killed for meat, but they are still hunted. For example, wild ducks and grouse are eaten extremely rarely. Carrion crows are often hunted, the population of which is very high in Switzerland. Because the animals often cause damage to agriculture, they are one of the most hunted bird species in Switzerland.

Even birds that are atypical to amateur hunters, such as magpies and jays, can be hunted and are not protected bird species. Melitta Maradi from Wild Animal Switzerland explains why this is so:

Special shootings are the regular shootings of protected animals, such as wolves or lynxes, which may be shot with an exceptional permit. An exemption is granted if damage occurs to wild animals, so that animal diseases can be combated, to maintain the habitats of certain animal species or to be allowed to shoot injured animals. Such shootings often involve injuries to livestock. Other shootings are carried out on sick, injured and over-aged animals and, depending on the canton, also count as special shootings. The cantons have not yet defined a uniform regulation regarding which type of shooting sports belongs to the category “special shooting sports”.

A total of 23 wolves were shot in 2022 – a new high in Switzerland since its return in the 1990s. For comparison: Last year only two lynxes were shot in Switzerland. However, the wolf kills more livestock and is therefore released for hunting more often. According to the Kora Foundation for Predator Ecology and Wildlife Management, approximately 240 wolves and 300 lynx roam Switzerland. Predators such as wolves and lynx may not be killed by hunters, but must be shot by game wardens employed by the canton.

The number of special kills by carrion crows is high compared to other species. According to Melitta Maradi, the animals were shot outside the hunting season due to the damage they caused, for example in agriculture, and are therefore subject to special hunting.