Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Mother of Switzerland’s first wolf pack is still alive

wolves caught in camera trap
Wolves of the Calanda pack caught in a camera trap in 2014. The mother of the pack, now at least 12, has had 46 cubs. Keystone

The wolf at the origin of the first pack to return to Switzerland is still alive and now at least 12 years old, Swiss NGO KORA Foundation said on Friday.

Known as F07, she was caught in a camera trap on Thursday, according to KORA (Carnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management). Wolves in the wild do not usually live for more than 10 years.

F07, the dominant she-wolf of the Calanda pack, was first reported in 2011 in the south-eastern canton of Graubünden. KORA said she appeared on camera in the company of a male. She has given birth to 46 cubs since her arrival in Graubünden.  

Wolf numbers have grown in Switzerland, with at least 180 wolves and 20 packs roaming primarily the Alpine environment. Although they are a protected species in Switzerland, a spate of attacks on livestock has prompted calls for their management.

The Swiss government recently submitted a plan to cantons and organisations to facilitate the culling of problem wolves.

More

News

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR