Merkel eases wolf-culling laws as wild packs threaten livestock

GERMANY slightly relaxed its tough laws on the culling of wolves yesterday, amid concern that growing numbers in the wild pose a threat to livestock.

Under new rules introduced by Angela Merkel’s government, licensed hunters will be called in to shoot wolves where there have been clear attacks on livestock.

As it is often impossible to tell exactly which animal carried out an attack the reform raises the possibility that entire packs will be shot.

Previously it was only permitted to cull wolves that could be shown to pose a threat to human safety.

The new regulations are a response to the wolf ’s dramatic comeback in Germany. Just 20 years ago there were none left, after the species was hunted to extinction in the early 20th century.

But they returned naturally after the fall of communism in the east, crossing the border from Poland into Germany as fences were removed. Today, more than 30 packs are believed to roam the country.

In 2015, a pack was photographed just 30 miles from Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city, and wolves have been spotted wandering into villages and built-up areas seeking food.

Government figures put the number

‘The call for hunting rights is populist grandstanding. Hunting wolves does nothing to resolve conflicts’

of wolves within Germany at around 400, while farmers’ associations say there are more than 1,000.

While the wolves’ return has been greeted as a success story by conservationists, farmers are not so happy. They say strict protection laws have left them powerless to safeguard their livestock from the predators.

The new regulations were approved by Mrs Merkel’s government after Svenja Schulze, the environment minister, dropped a demand that the particular wolf responsible for a livestock attack be identified. Instead, any wolf in the area of a serious attack could face culling.

“I am glad the environment ministry has moved on this,” Julia Klöckner, the agriculture minister said.

The new regulations have faced criticism from environmentalists.

Diana Pretzell, of the Worldwide Fund for Nature, said earlier this year: “The call for hunting rights and upper limits is populist grandstanding. Hunting wolves does nothing to resolve conflicts.”

The relaxing of the ban is in part a response to the nationalist Alternative for Germany party (AFD), which has made the issue a central part of its campaign ahead of key regional elections in eastern Germany later this year.

But there will be no open season on wolves because only licensed hunters will be allowed to shoot the animals under the reform.