The increase in the wolf population is a hot topic: While farmers are concerned about the development, animal and nature conservationists strictly reject the lifting of the strict protection status.
Bernbeuren – Böbing, November 2022: A wolf attacks a sheep and kills it.
And only about 20 meters from the house.
Since this incident at the latest, it has been clear: the wolf is present again in the Weilheim-Schongau district.
Especially since there were sightings of wolves before that, in June 2020 in Forst and in September 2022 in the western district.
Sightings are currently increasing dramatically.
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Biologist warns: "A peaceful coexistence with the wolf is not possible"
“The wolf is a threat to biodiversity and the unique cultural landscape”: This is the message from the Swiss biologist Marcel Züger, who has been touring Germany, Austria, South Tyrol and Switzerland with lectures on the wolf for some time.
He was recently a guest in Bernbeuren at the invitation of the Bavarian Farmers' Association.
The fact that the wolf is a topic that concerns farmers in the region was also shown by the packed Auerberghalle.
In the course of his presentation, Züger emphasized the uniqueness of European alpine farming, which, however, is being endangered by the increase in the wolf population.
The biologist made it clear that one cannot place one species above thousands of others.
From capercaillie or rare birds to sheep or even cows: all these animals are threatened by wolves.
"A peaceful coexistence with the wolf is not possible," said Züger.
The wolf cannot really be stopped by fences, even at a height of two meters.
Only a high fence with electric wires above and below can keep the wolf away, but that is very expensive.
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Did wolves kill a dozen people in India and Turkey each?
In the Swiss canton of Graubünden, Züger's home, there are now eleven to 16 wolf packs.
In 2022 there were more than 500 livestock killed by wolves.
So the wolf is no longer a rare species in Europe.
Züger is also concerned about the increasing adaptation of wolves to humans.
The story of the shy wolf is now a pure fairy tale.
Between 2002 and 2020, for example, 107 people were injured and 12 died as a result of wolf attacks in Turkey, while India reports 12 dead and 179 injured.
In order to prevent the approach, there is only one thing to do: the wolf must perceive humans as enemies again.
In plain language, this means that the strict protection status of the wolf would have to be lifted and controlled removal would have to be permitted.
Because one thing is clear for Züger: "This strict protection makes adequate, pragmatic management very difficult."
(The local newspapers in the Weilheim-Schongau district are represented on Instagram under “merkur_wm_sog”.)
Population limit and wolf-free zone are required
"Wolf population limit and wolf-free zones in alpine farming" is the demand from Wolfgang Scholz, BBV chairman of the Weilheim-Schongau district association.
In an interview with the local newspaper, he agrees with Marcel Züger's warnings and emphasizes: "Wolf protection destroys species and nature conservation." At the same time, however, he is skeptical that the concerns of farmers will be taken seriously and that measures will be implemented.
"Public opinion is relatively clearly in favor of the wolf," says Scholz: "Hardly any politician wants to tackle the issue of limiting the wolf population." Actual action must be taken quickly in order to prevent conditions like those in our neighbors in Switzerland.
"In the district of Garmisch, there is already a pack of wolves on the verge of formation," Scholz learned from his BBV colleague Klaus Solleder.
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Numerous farmers informed themselves about the current wolf situation at the event.
© Andreas Jäger
Bund Naturschutz criticizes the explanations of the biologist
Criticism of Marcel Züger's statements comes from the Bund Naturschutz.
"Züger's statements are based on experiences from Graubünden, which he interprets or presents one-sidedly.
In the presentation, however, the statement is made that it looks like this everywhere in Switzerland.
Other pasture and wolf experts from Switzerland assess the situation differently from him," says Uwe Friedel from the Department for Species and Biotope Protection.
According to Friedel, it is important to always be one step ahead of the wolf: "That's why it's counterproductive for the grazing animals to claim that herd protection doesn't work.
That keeps the animal keepers from using it, and the wolves get used to grazing animals." , how much more kills or regulation/hunting should lead to less rifts.
He provides neither an explanatory model nor evidence from other countries.”
By the way: everything from the region is also available in our regular Schongau newsletter.
And in our Weilheim-Penzberg newsletter.
