Debate about wolves: Hauk calls for solutions for herds
In view of recent wolf attacks in Baden-Württemberg, Consumer Protection Minister Peter Hauk (CDU) considers proactive and unbureaucratic action with regard to wolves to be "absolutely essential". According to a statement on Friday, he called for the animal to be included in hunting legislation. In Münster, Westphalia, the federal and state environment ministers had previously agreed to speed up the culling of wolves that had previously scaled protective fences and killed livestock.
The background to this was an increase in the number of wolf kills and protests from livestock owners and farmers. One significant change is that it is no longer necessary to wait for a DNA analysis. Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) presented corresponding proposals in October. Heavily affected federal states want to make it possible to shoot wolves more quickly at the start of the 2024 grazing season with uniform state ordinances.
According to the information, the number of wolf attacks on livestock increased significantly last year to more than 1,000 cases. More than 4,000 farm animals were killed or injured.
According to Hauk, Lemke's solution falls short and is not very pragmatic or practicable. There is still no solution for dealing with problem wolves that become conspicuous where herd protection is not feasible. For example, herd protection is not reasonably possible on steep pastures in the Black Forest. "The concerns of many grazing livestock farmers remain unconsidered."
Hauk called for solutions to prevent further damage to livestock. According to the Minister, it would be advisable and necessary to include wolves in hunting legislation. He believes it is overdue to officially determine the wolf's favorable conservation status for Germany and report it to the EU.
- In the realm of wildlife management and conservation, there have been discussions about incorporating wolves into agriculture policies to mitigate conflicts with livestock farming, a topic Peter Hauk, the Agriculture Minister, has strongly advocated for.
- The integration of wolves into scientific studies and environmental management strategies, focusing on coexistence with farm animals and rural communities, is a crucial aspect that should not be overlooked in the context of both science and agriculture.
Source: www.dpa.com
