Munich (dpa / lby) – The Bund Naturschutz (BN) criticizes the decision of the Bavarian state government to identify the first pastures as “unreasonably protectable” against wolf attacks. In such areas, according to the state government’s action plan, a wolf can already be shot if it approaches livestock and endangers them. For livestock farmers on these alpine pastures, the classification means that they receive compensation payments in the event of a wolf attack on their cattle without having previously taken livestock protection measures such as building a fence.
BN specialist Uwe Friedel said that this measure would give grazing livestock farmers in the affected regions false hope. The impression is created that attacks on grazing animals could be prevented by simplifying the killing of wolves.
BN chairman Richard Mergner warned that grazers in these areas were being told that wolves were guaranteed to be killed. However, this cannot be the case for legal reasons alone.
In addition, the Bund Naturschutz criticizes the criteria used to determine the areas in which protection against wolves cannot be implemented under reasonable conditions. Among other things, it is about how steep the slope is – the association thinks that fences could also be built on steeper slopes than previously specified.
Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber (CSU) and Environment Minister Thorsten Faithr (free voters) announced on Monday that the first mountain pastures in Bavaria would be “unreasonably protectable” from wolf attacks.