Animal welfare - 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.
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- In North Rhine-Westphalia, agricultural communities are also facing challenges due to wolf attacks, echoing the concerns in Baden-Württemberg.
- Steffi Lemke, the Environment Minister from Baden-Württemberg's neighboring state of Baden-Württemberg, has advocated for quicker culling of wolves, following the agreement in Munster, North Rhine-Westphalia.
- The recent surge in wolf attacks has led to over 1,000 incidents of livestock damage in Germany, with over 4,000 animals killed or injured.
- The CDU, led by Consumer Protection Minister Peter Hauk in Baden-Württemberg, is pushing for wolves to be included in hunting legislation, aiming for uniform state ordinances for swift action.
- Animal welfare organizations and environmentalists in Baden-Württemberg, like in Muenster, North Rhine-Westphalia, are divided over the proposed changes, with some arguing for coexistence and others urging for more active measures.
- Scientific studies on wolf behavior and habitat could provide important insights, helping both farmers and environmentalists to find pragmatic solutions for wolf-livestock conflicts in cities like Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg.
- Hauk and Lemke both acknowledge that the issue of wolf attacks on livestock is a complex matter that requires understanding, empathy, and cooperation between different interest groups, such as farmers, animal welfare advocates, and the scientific community.
Source: www.stern.de
