Politics National Council demands threshold value for wolf population
Wolves should be allowed to be shot as soon as their population reaches a predetermined number of animals. The National Council adopted a corresponding proposal on Thursday.
30.04.2026, 17:33
30.04.2026, 17:34
SDA
The threshold value is to be determined in consultation with the cantons, as motionary Alex Farinelli (FDP/TI) said. According to the text of the motion, territorial, environmental and socio-economic characteristics of the individual regions should be taken into account.
The reason for the required regulation is the exponential increase in the wolf population in recent years, said Farinelli. From around a dozen wolves in 2010, the number of wolves has grown to over 300 animals today. This has increasingly serious consequences for alpine farming and endangers traditional pasture farming.
The current system, which provides for a case-by-case shooting permit, has proven to be "too slow, too complicated and ineffective" in the view of the motion author. In the event of wolf attacks, livestock owners often have to wait weeks or months for a response from the responsible authority.
Now a paradigm shift from reactive to proactive wolf management is to take place. If the wolf population in a given region exceeds a defined threshold, individual wolves or packs should be allowed to be shot "swiftly and unbureaucratically".
The motion is not aimed at eradicating the wolf in Switzerland, according to the written justification for the motion. However, according to the Swiss Wolf Concept, twelve packs were sufficient to preserve the species.
The Grand Chamber voted in favor of the proposal by 117 votes to 74 with 2 abstentions - against the wishes of the SP, Greens and GLP. The matter now goes to the Council of States. The Council of States adopted an identical motion in March.
The Federal Council had already indicated in its favorable opinion on the motions that it wanted to implement the request. Despite the measures already taken, the wolf population continues to increase, said Federal Councillor Martin Pfister, who was standing in for the convalescing Environment Minister Albert Rösti.
