Demands for wolf shooting in the Lower Rhine region grow louder

Demands for wolf shooting in the Lower Rhine region grow louder dpa 21 hrs ago | After the killing of several ponies in the Lower Rhine region, demands are getting louder to release certain wolves for shooting. "While the wolves in other wolf areas of North Rhine-Westphalia currently appear only sporadically, the situation in the Lower Rhine is escalating," reads a statement by the two agricultural associations in NRW for a hearing on "Wolfsland NRW" planned for Tuesday in the state parliament. The different situation is "solely due to the wolf individuals living there," it continued. "If consequences are omitted here, the acceptance for the wolf in affected areas will continue to dwindle." Already, "preventive measures and a quick removal of wolves that attack or tear grazing animals despite protective measures should be two sides of the same coin." In the Lower Rhine wolf protection area of Wesel-Schermbeck, three ponies had been torn and a fourth injured within two weeks. According to the Ministry of the Environment, all circumstances indicated that wolves had attacked the small horses. The wolf population in Germany develops according to data of the agriculture federations "with rapid dynamics". Estimated their extent increases annually by 30 percent. According to the Wolf-Fachstelle des Bundes (DBBW), a total of 11,666 farm animals were killed or injured by wolves in 3225 attacks in Germany between 2016 and 2020, or they have since been considered missing. According to the report, 248 farm animals were killed or injured in 84 wolf attacks in NRW in recent years. The NRW Environment Ministry has now commissioned a legal opinion. It is to clarify whether a wolf with behavioral problems must be released for "removal", i.e. shooting. Wölfin Gloria, on whose account most tears in the area Schermbeck are to go, is not mentioned by name by the Ministry thereby. The administrative court Duesseldorf had rejected a "removal" of the she-wolf Gloria in May still. The promotion of protective measures against the wolf should be extended to horses and small horses, had announced environment minister Ursula Heinen-Esser (CDU). A comparison with France: there, under strictly defined conditions, up to 19 percent of the annually estimated wolves may be "taken". With a wolf population of 99 packs, 110 wolves were approved for killing in France in 2020, according to agricultural associations. In Germany, there were a total of 128 wolf packs and no kills in 2019/2020, according to the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. The Sheep Breeders' Association of North Rhine-Westphalia also called for "active wolf management along the lines of France." The Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL) Lower Saxony demanded a new classification of wolf populations according to their numerical size and spatial distribution, as well as a "realistic assessment" of the conservation status, which must be scientifically re-evaluated annually. In the future, the wolf should no longer be considered "strictly protected", but only "conditionally protected". The SPD, which had requested the hearing, demanded from the black-yellow state government to develop a herd protection law. The high number of livestock killings by wolves leads to a "tense mood" among the owners. Only a modern herd protection law and improved wolf management could reduce conflicts. Livestock owners can apply for funding for fencing to protect their animals. According to the NRW Chamber of Agriculture, for example, nearly 360 mobile fences and 114 fixed electric fences were applied for in 2020/21 (as of 10/28/21). In addition, three applications were submitted for a total of nine guard dogs. According to the SPD, experience on the ground shows that financial support and compensation are insufficient. A future herd protection law would have to include the purchase and also the ongoing maintenance of fences and dogs. NRW has four wolf areas so far. Wolf packs live in three of them: in the Schermbeck area, in the High Fens and in the Oberbergisches Land.