Politics
The Vorarlberg state government passed a law on Tuesday called the Wolf Management Ordinance. It regulates the possibility of legally shooting wolves. Wolves that have lost their fear of people or settlements can now be easily eliminated.
State Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP) and State Councilor Christian Kantner (ÖVP) said after the state government meeting that the restriction exists to protect settlement areas and farm animals. Wolves that have lost their fear of people or settlements can now be easily eliminated.
The Wolf Management Decree mainly specifies which official measures must be taken, especially when harmful and high-risk wolves occur, in which areas flock protection by fencing is impossible or unreasonable, and which notification and reporting obligations exist. The aim is to prepare for future dangerous situations that may arise from wolf return and spread.
“Critical structural conditions for alpine summer”.
This regulation creates critical structural conditions for a safe alpine summer, Kantner says. In 2023, 19 farm animals were killed in nine crack cases in Vorarlberg. Given the number of cracks in the neighboring regions of Graubünden and Tyrol, measures should be taken at an early stage. Five to six wolves are currently confirmed in Vorarlberg.
