Lowered Protection: Europe Now Allows More Wolf Culling, Sparking Controversy
European Legislators Endorse Expanded Wolf Culling Operations
The attack on farm animals by wolves is escalating. In the EU, the wolf has been "stricken" with strict protection and hunting rules. However, the European Parliament has decided to loosen this protection. This decision is met with criticism.
In the near future, EU wolves could be hunted more freely. The Parliament voted, in an emergency procedure in Strasbourg, to downgrade the wolf's status from "stricken" to "protected." The decision needs to be ratified by the EU member states, which seems likely as they have already expressed support for a reduction. Many countries are concerned about their livestock and want to hunt more wolves.
After the decision, Germany can change its national laws to enforce the new wolf protection status, according to a spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of the Environment. Although an alteration in the Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive (FFH) doesn't automatically change German law, amendments to the Federal Nature Conservation Act and the Federal Hunting Act will be required. The coalition agreement of the new federal government states that this EU-level decision should be implemented in German law without delay.
The controversy revolves around ensuring "legally secure elimination" of problematic wolves and their immediate inclusion in hunting law. The situation may lead to problematic wolves being shot more easily.
The call for easier shooting has also come from the Bundesrat. The change is based on a proposal from the EU Commission, which follows earlier demands from the Parliament regarding the FFH. The FFH change gives member states more freedom in handling their wolf populations, as long as a "favorable conservation status" remains a priority.
Critics of the decision, such as the Greens, argue that there is no scientific basis for it, stating that farm animals could be better protected without resorting to more cullings. Sebastian Everding, a German animal protection party's Member of the European Parliament, finds the entire process "scandalous."
"In the fastest species extinction of Earth's history, the EU's only answer to a human-induced problem seems to be the killing of a strictly protected species," Everding stated. Yet, Peter Liese, the environmental spokesman for the CDU/CSU group in the European Parliament, emphasizes that people are fearful of wolves.
Wolves have contributed to significant problems for grazing farmers due to an increasing number of livestock deaths, according to reports. Although herd protection measures are being implemented, wolves are reportedly overcoming them. Reports even suggest that wolves have entered stables. The rise in livestock being killed or injured by wolves over the past decade has been recorded by the Federal Documentation and Consultation Centre, with 5,727 animals affected by 2023, primarily sheep.
Former EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen herself had a confrontation with a wolf when her 30-year-old pony, Dolly, was killed by a gray wolf near Hannover in her native Burgdorf-Beinhorn, Lower Saxony, in 2022. Many are speaking out about the debate surrounding wolves, calling for rational solutions rather than excessive hunting.
Key Controversies:
- Science over Politics: Critics argue the decision lacks scientific justification and that existing wolf populations still struggle in unfavorable conservation status across Europe.
- Political Pressure: The decision appears driven by political pressure rather than ecological needs, catering to fear over facts, particularly in regions experiencing conflicts between humans and wolves.
- Conservation Disruptions: Activists fear that reducing protection could disrupt wolf recovery, which has only recently shown signs of improvement after facing near extinction.
- Alternative Methods Ignored: Critics believe that alternative methods for managing human-wolf conflicts, such as non-lethal deterrents and compensation schemes for livestock losses, are being overlooked.
- Dangerous Precedent: This decision sets a concerning precedent for EU wildlife protection policies, seemingly prioritizing political agendas over science-based decision-making.
Stakeholder Responses:
- European Commission and Parliament: Support the change as a means to reduce conflicts with human activities and provide more flexibility in wolf management across member states.
- Conservation Groups: Oppose the decision, as they believe it undermines conservation efforts and ignores scientific advice.
- Livestock and Hunting Interests: Generally support the change due to perceived benefits in managing wolf populations affecting livestock.
The wolf controversy underscores a deep divide between those advocating for human-wolf coexistence and those who believe that wolf conservation is at stake, along with setting a potentially hazardous precedent for EU wildlife protection policies.
- The newly adjusted community policy allows for more wolf culling, sparking controversy and concern among conservationists.
- The European Parliament's decision to downgrade the wolf's protection status has been criticized for lacking a scientific basis, with advocates suggesting alternative methods for managing human-wolf conflicts.
- In the face of increasing livestock deaths due to wolves, certain countries have expressed support for a more lenient employment policy towards wolf hunting.
- The controversy surrounding wolf management reveals a divide between those prioritizing conservation and those focused on employment policies that accommodate human concerns.
- The change in the EU's employment policy for wolves, albeit likely to be ratified by member states, risks setting a dangerous precedent for wildlife protection policies.
- wildlife experts are disheartened by the political pressure placed on the EU Commission to alter the employment policy for wolves, disregarding the need for scientific research in policy-and-legislation making.
