Court lowers bar for killing problem wolves in Switzerland
DNA evidence should carry less weight when deciding the fate of wolves that are suspected of killing livestock, a Swiss court has ruled.
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Greater emphasis should instead be placed on other factors, such as photographic evidence, changed behaviour patterns and the ability of parent wolves to teach cubs hunting techniques.
The Federal Administrative Court reached this verdict when considering the case of wolf M92 that roams in southeast Switzerland.
The court ruled that the Federal Office for the Environment relies too heavily on saliva DNA samples taken from dead livestock when considering requests to cull wolves.
Such evidence is prone to contamination when carcasses lie out in the open, the court said.
In future, photographic or filmed evidence should play a greater role in determining whether a wolf should be shot.
Evidence of learned behavioural patterns, such as jumping over electric fences, should also be permitted. And the ability of adult wolves to teach cubs such tricks should also be taken into consideration when evaluating the threat of a wolf pack.
The number of deadly wolf attacks on livestock has risen sharply in recent years and is estimated to have passed the 1,000 mark in 2022.
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The female wolf that started the first pack in Switzerland since these animals returned is still alive and at least 12 years old.
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