The National wants to frighten the wolves to keep them away from the herds of rent animals in the Alps. He adopted a motion on Thursday asking that the battues be made by patrols. The latter must also be able to draw non -fatal ammunition.
By 95 votes to 87 and 4 abstentions, the National Council accepted the motion of the center group. These are additional measures for the protection of herds, said Benjamin Rodu (Center/VS). The motion also requests the financing of frightening actions. The Council of States must decide.
The cantons of Valais, Ticino and Graubünden have been hardly affected by natural disasters in recent years and in recent months, added Mr. Rodix. They should not have to undergo the damage caused by too many wolves.
Not effective
The Minister of the Environment Albert Rösti spoke about the motion. Experience has shown that rubber bullets are only effective in a distance less than 25 meters, he said. The frightening will therefore have little effect, because men rarely approach wolves so close.
The provisions aimed at preventing damage caused by wolves have been reinforced since the deposit of the motion, and environmental organizations have also accepted them, added Mr. Rösti. If additional measures were necessary, the Federal Council would offer them, assured the Minister of the Environment to the Council.
Preventively shot
Wolves can today be slaughtered as a preventive basis, before they cause damage. A first phase of regulation lasted from December 2023 to the end of January 2024, a second from the beginning of September 2024 to the end of January 2025. This made it possible to slow down the rapid growth in wolf staff, said the Federal Environment Office in an intermediate assessment at the end of May.
The Federal Office also wrote that after a peak in 2022, the number of rent animals is today at 2021, when the wolf population in Switzerland was between ten and fifteen packs. The Confederation notably attributes this development to the increase in financial means allocated to the protection of herds.
This article was published automatically. Source: ATS
