The number of wolf packs in the Alps is growing rapidly – at more than 25 percent per year. This is reported by the Gruppe Wolf Schweiz (GWS) association, which is committed to peaceful coexistence between people and local large carnivores. According to the GWS, the entire wolf habitat in the Alps will be exhausted in about five years.
“The wolf population then regulates itself and stops growing,” the association reports. According to estimates, there were more than 250 parcels in the Alps last year. This year there should be more than 300. The association assumes that there is room for about 800 packages in total.
The association emphasizes the importance of comprehensive and consistent herd protection for livestock. Just last week, in the canton of St. Gallen on the Alp Brändlisberg, a year-old cow was killed by wolves for the first time. Farmers’ associations have repeatedly asked for more shooting licenses to no avail.
The first pack was formed in 1993 in the Southwestern Alps
In the Alps, packs – two adults and their offspring – usually consist of up to ten animals. The territory of a pack is estimated at 200 to 300 square kilometers. According to the group, the first pack emerged in 1993 in the French-Italian southwestern Alps. Even today, the animals are particularly widespread in the Alps. Decades after the extermination of wolves in Switzerland, there have been individual wolves again since 1995 and packs since 2012.
In Germany, there is still no evidence of wolf packs in the Alps. Neither the GWS Association nor the Federal Documentation and Counseling Center on Wolves have registered these animals there. According to WWF wolf expert Christian Pichler, there was only one wolf pack in Austria last year.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
