“Measurement is full!”: Lucerne center raises alarm because of Wolf

Wolves kill hundreds of sheep every year in Switzerland. Other animals and humans have not been attacked so far. Things have changed since last weekend: In Pusclaw, Graubünden, a wolf chased a man for several minutes and growled at them. In addition, the wolves of the Beverin pack killed two suckling cows for the first time. So the Graubünden authorities have ordered the two animals to be shot. Federal regulation allows this if a wolf has killed more than ten animals within four months. The Wallace government has already issued shooting permits.

In the canton of Lucerne, the wolf is currently not an issue in the general public. It’s different for farmers and alpine farmers: they have to complain about dead animals from time to time, as recently happened in the Schrattenflu area, where a wolf killed about ten sheep, according to farmers. according. Christian Hustler, head of the department of hunting and gamekeepers at the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, confirmed the killing of a proven wolf in late June. In addition, there were eight other suspected cases in the same period, whose cause of death could not be established now. The case in the Schrattenfluh area is the first confirmed livestock killed by a wolf since January 2, 2021.

Farmers like Philip Vicki, who has a herd of 370 sheep, guarded by dogs and not harmed this year, are also afraid of wolves. «A colleague recently lost 34 sheep despite security dogs. I’m considering giving up sheep farming,” says Srenberger, whose family has farmed the area on the eastern slope of the Schratenflue for several generations.

Population feels “helpless, helpless and left alone”

For the middle of the canton of Lucerne, it means: “The measure is full!”, as she writes in a petition that has just been launched. In it, the party calls for “a concept and a strategy as well as immediate measures so that the problems with the return of the wolves can be solved in the long run”. The wolf population is rapidly increasing, and the safe coexistence of populations, alpine farming and tourism is “significantly endangered”. The federal council and administration have “no answer to the current challenge”, the population feels “helpless, helpless and left behind”, the center grumbles.

The originator of the petition is National Councilor Leo Mueller. The problem is “very dire” and it is “only a matter of time before much will happen in the canton of Lucerne”. Talking to sheep farmers will show them that, says the Rusville politician:

“The Federal Council watches almost passively. It has to consider taking emergency measures.”

The members of the SVP and the FDP cantonal council provide support to the center.

The petition is met with the support of the SVP, as do cantonal council members Vonni Thalmann (Fluhli) and Willi Kunch (Menznau). Thalman is a farmer and a farmer – and it is clear to both of them:

“The Federal Council does very little. We support mountain farmers and everything that provides relief to the affected population.»

Barbara Lang will also sign the petition. And Hellbuhl’s farmer and SVP cantonal councilor is of the opinion that the Federal Council is doing too little. However, politically nothing can be gained from the petition. But it is good to sensitize people towards a subject.

FDP Cantonal Councilor Martin Birr will also sign the petition. As far as its impact is concerned, he agrees with Barbara Lang: “Sensitizing people is a good thing. Living with wolves is becoming a problem,” says the farmer from Amen. He wants to kill all the wolves. But he is of the opinion: “Special animals have no place with us. It’s devastating when they are killing cows that are already milking.”