Sheep Farmers Cry Foul: Demanding Simplified Wolf Culling Rules in Germany
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Demand for Simplified Guidelines on Enhanced Wolf Hunt by MV Shepherds - Farmers in MV advocate for ease in wolf hunting through loosened regulations.
In the region of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, farmers are rallying for government intervention to regulate wolf populations and reinforce efforts to safeguard their livestock. Susanne Petersen, chairwoman of the state sheep and goat breeding association, voiced concerns, stating, "We should protect our animals and bear the additional work without guarantee of success. Herd protection needs reliable support from authorities." Petersen called for the conference of environmental ministers in Mettlach-Orscholz to relax the stringent wolf protection status. She said, "We endorse the demand of the state environmental ministry that the federal government should present a national wolf assessment that reflects the actual conservation status, which isn't currently the case."
The good conservation status of wolves, encompassing over 19 packs in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, has been confirmed. This status is a prerequisite for wolf culling.
The year 2024 has witnessed 77 confirmed or presumed wolf attacks in the northeast, resulting in the loss of 309 animals. Petersen acknowledged, "This is an alarming and concerning trend." Since monitoring began in 2007, approximately 460 cases with around 1,700 dead and 500 injured livestock have been documented.
In practice, culling wolf applications frequently face legal hurdles in court. "Both those tasked with culling and decision-makers in the administration should not live in constant fear of accountability for their actions," Petersen warned. Ministers Till Backhaus (SPD) and employees of the district of Rostock-Land have possibly faced charges for killing a she-wolf.
Backhaus had announced his intentions before the conference, urging the federal government to expedite the transposition of European decisions favoring easier wolf culling into German legislation. "It's about time we had a legally sound procedure to cull problematic wolves," he stated.
In a surprising turn of events, a majority of MEPs in Strasbourg voted to downgrade the status of wolves from "strictly protected" to "protected" in an emergency proceeding. Although this measure still requires adoption by EU member states, it's expected that many countries will increase wolf culling to protect grazing animals.
The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation reported an estimated 1,330 wolves in Germany during the 2022/2023 wolf monitoring. There were 184 packs, 47 pairs, and 22 solitary territories. The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) remains critical of the plan to generally lower the protection of wolves.
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Farmers' concerns about wolf attacks on livestock are backed by growing evidence. More than 460 cases with around 1,700 dead and 500 injured livestock have been logged since monitoring began in 2007, peaking at 77 cases in 2024 [1][2]. Agricultural communities across Europe have pushed for changes to legal protection status for wolves to address their concerns [2][3][4]. However, conservation groups advocate for alternative solutions such as improved herd surveillance and fencing [3][5].
The backing of the European Parliament to lower the protection status of wolves from "strictly protected" to "protected" is a significant step towards implementing member countries' own management plans, which may include culling under strict criteria [3][4][5]. The changes proposed in Germany aim to streamline the process for farmers to hunt wolves, aligning with the EU's decisions to ease wolf protection [1][2]. The EU is expected to finalize these regulations in May [2].
References:[1] Merkur (2023). "Wolfsjagden: Regelung für Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ergency des Union."[2] DW (2024). "Sheep farmers in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern demand easier wolf culling rules."[3] EUobserver (2024). "Majority of EU MPs vote to lower wolf protection status."[4] POLITICO (2024). "Wolf culling gains momentum in Europe as protection status diluted."[5] Reuters (2024). "Brussels moves to lower wolf protection in European Union."
- The farmers' cries for regulatory action to manage wolf populations extend beyond Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with communities across Europe echoing their concerns.
- In the realm of environmental science and policy, debates on the development of the fisheries sector and climate-change mitigation strategies are ongoing. However, the immediate concern of farmers, particularly those raising grazing animals, is the threat posed by wolves.
- The science of wolf behavior and management intersects with the politics of policy-and-legislation, as farmers demand simplified wolf culling rules in Germany and other European countries. Yet, conservation groups advocate for alternative solutions such as improved herd surveillance and fencing.
- Amidst these policy discussions, the general news continues to report on the impact of war-and-conflicts on various sectors, including the fisheries. Simultaneously, the fisheries policy remains a key agenda in regional and global meetings, with local communities calling for aid for the development of their fisheries sector.
