Criticism from BUND as environment ministers opt for wolf culling

Creatures - Criticism from BUND as environment ministers opt for wolf culling

The environmental group BUND in North Rhine-Westphalia has raised concerns about the Environment Ministers' Conference's (UMK) decision to permit the killing of wolves. During a gathering in Bad Duerkheim, it was revealed that a rapid culling plan for Lower Saxony, where legal challenges halted the procedure before, would be rapidly reinstated.

In a statement, BUND state chair Holger Sticht expressed disapproval, asserting, "Anyone who advocates for the shooting of wolves must simultaneously implement livestock protection measures." He emphasized that effective livestock protection measures are the most potent means of forestalling attacks on livestock. But regrettably, many states, such as North Rhine-Westphalia, have failed to provide funding for fence maintenance or utilizing cattle protection dogs. Therefore, advocating for wolf killing is just a "false solution" that won't lead to a long-term decrease in attacks. "The shooting order is simple politicking meant to divert attention from the insufficient livestock protection."

The UMK's direction originated in the final days of 2023, when they concluded their intention to develop a swift culling regulation for regions with heightened wolf populations. These circumstances might occasionally warrant bypassing DNA analysis to identify a specific wolf prior to its shooting. In Lower Saxony, the Luneburg Higher Administrative Court prohibited the execution of a wolf from the Hannover region. The UMK intends to revise the main guideline for such terminations by August.

Read also:

1. Despite BUND's criticism of the wolf culling decision at the Environment Ministers' Conference (UMK) in Bad Dürkheim, the rapid reinstatement of a culling plan in Lower Saxony was announced.
2. Holger Sticht, the BUND state chair in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), expressed his disapproval, stating that advocating for wolf killing without sufficient livestock protection measures is a "false solution."
3. Many states, including NRW, have neglected providing funding for fence maintenance and utilizing cattle protection dogs, leading to insufficient livestock protection.
4. The UMK, in the final days of 2023, decided to develop a swift culling regulation for regions with high wolf populations, which might sometimes bypass DNA analysis before wolf shooting.
5. The Luneburg Higher Administrative Court in Lower Saxony previously prohibited the execution of a wolf from the Hannover region due to legal challenges.
6. By August, the UMK aims to revise the main guideline for such terminations, as they intend to resume the culling plan in Lower Saxony.
7. Nature conservation organizations like BUND emphasize the importance of environmental policy in preserving nature and animal habitats, a concern raised in relation to the wolf culling debate in various German regions.

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