Faster shooting of wolves: EU Commission wants to lower protection status
Wolf packs have become a "real threat" to livestock in several regions of Europe, explained Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. With the proposal, the European Union is taking an "important step" towards giving the responsible authorities more freedom in dealing with wolves. Von der Leyen had already called on the EU countries in September to "take measures wherever necessary".
According to a proposal by Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens), in Germany it should be possible to shoot a wolf that is within a radius of one kilometer of the bite site for 21 days after a livestock bite. The prerequisite for this is still a shooting permit, as well as "previously defined regions with an increased incidence of predation" and the wolf must have overcome "reasonable herd protection measures".
Under EU law, wolves are currently protected under the Habitats Directive. This directive is based on the agreements of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of Wild Fauna and Flora in Europe and therefore cannot be amended on the sole initiative of the EU. All 51 signatories to the Convention, including Turkey and Belarus, must agree to the Commission's proposal.
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Source: www.stern.de
