Wolves have attacked a second cow in the eastern Swiss canton of Graubünden, five days after the previous attack. The animal had to be euthanised due to severe injuries. The news was confirmed by the cantonal hunting and fishing office on Friday.
The wolves are suspected to belong to the Piz Beverin pack. Last weekend, several wolves from the same pack killed a cow on a mountain pasture in the region. The attack provoked an outcry from the farmers’ and alpine farmers’ associations. They are demanding that the entire pack on Piz Beverin be culled.
Attacks on livestock have previously targeted sheep and goats. Farmers in the region are alarmed that wolves are now starting to tackle cows.
On Friday, authorities in the southern canton of Valais ordered the shooting of a wolf in the Val d’Illiez region near the French border. The animal has killed twelve livestock on mountain pastures in the area. Four wolves have already been culled in the canton this year.
The revised Swiss federal law on hunting, which came into force in July 2021, allows a wolf to be shot as soon as it has killed at least ten sheep or goats over a period of four months on protected or unprotected mountain pastures.
“The conditions for shooting are therefore fulfilled,” the Valais cantonal government said in a statement on Friday.
The canton’s hunting, fishing and wildlife service will have sixty days to cull the wolf.
Distribution of wolf packs in Switzerland (Rudel = pack, Einzeltiere = solitary animals)
Swiss Wolf Group
There are currently about 130 wolves and at least 11 packs in Switzerland. They are estimated to kill around 300-500 sheep and goats per year.
Ukraine peace conference should include Russia, says Chinese ambassador
This content was published on
China supports a peace conference on the Ukraine war that would see equal participation of all parties, says Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui.
This content was published on
A majority of Swiss citizens have open attitudes towards various infertility treatments, including even egg donation, which is currently prohibited.
Reports of Swiss cyber fraud almost doubled in six months
This content was published on
The head of the new Federal Office for Cybersecurity (FOC), Florian Schütz, has presented a new strategy after just over four months in office.
Ecological status of Swiss streams insufficient according to study
This content was published on
Pesticide use and obstructions of waterways have a particularly negative impact on sensitive organisms, completely absent in 70% of streams analysed.
Train line between Brig and Domodossola interrupted
This content was published on
One day after a derailment approximately 15 kilometres from the Swiss border, BLS is running buses for passengers between Preglia and Domodossola, in Italy.
This content was published on
A game warden in Switzerland has shot dead a wolf without prior permission because the animal appeared to be stalking people.
This content was published on
Switzerland is experiencing the summer of the wolf as reports of new attacks and sightings roll in from around the country.
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.