FPÖ demands hard measures against wolves: red for grazing animals!

FPÖ demands hard measures against wolves: red for grazing animals!

In a turbulent press conference of the FPÖ Lower Austria, the focus is on wolf, and the demands for a sharper wolf policy are louder. Gerhard Fallent, chairman of "Wolfstopp", criticizes the work of the ÖZ Bär Wolf Lynig and Federal Minister Totschnig. In his opinion, the policy behind wolf conservation is more ideologically than scientifically sound. He also has a sharp criticism of the high expenditure for herd protection dogs (HSH) that are used to defend damage in farm animals, and describes the certification of these dogs as "eye emissions".

The debate about herd protection dogs is becoming increasingly heated. These dogs, the sheep, goats and other pastures are supposed to protect against attackers such as wolves, live from birth with the animals in the stable and develop a close bond with them. For example, the Schäfer Knut Kucznik in Brandenburg, who has been successfully working with herd protection dogs since 2005, describes their use. These dogs are not only strong, but also more intelligent than you think. They recognize dangers independently and vehemently guard the territory of their pasture animals. The wolf, a cautious hunter, usually avoids confrontations with HSH, which represent serious threats.

conflicts and challenges in agriculture

The FPÖ calls for an unbureaucratic hunting of the wolf to protect both people and animals. According to Alexander Schnabel, another critic in a conversation, the federal government shows little interest in agricultural matters, while the wolf population is growing steadily. This not only leads to a worrying increase in attacks on farm animals, but also to an always growing unrest among the pasture animals. The number of attacks on sheep and goats has risen dramatically in recent years, and while only 40 animals were affected in 2006, there were already 5,727 in Germany in 2023.

A debate about the right measures to contain the problem is in progress. Fishing and killing measures are complicated due to the strict legal regulations that particularly protect the wolf. In 2023 there were investments of around 18.5 million euros in herd protection measures in Germany, whereby herd protection dogs, electrical fences or wild gate fence are considered preventive measures. Nevertheless, the high cost burden for farmers is a major challenge - around 4,000 euros for a herd protection dog plus another 1,000 euros in annual costs.

Future visions and wolf -free zones

The press conference concludes with a clear requirement: the implementation of the Ausseer declaration should be promoted as soon as possible. This includes the creation of wolf -free zones and professional monitoring of wolf population. The focus is on a more smooth handling of agricultural matters and the development of unbureaucratic solutions for hunters. The situation comes to a head and it remains to be seen whether the words will also follow acts to find the balance between the protection of people and animals and the preservation of wolf population.

This can be said that the wolves are under the protection of the laws, but for the affected farmers and pasture holders, the air is getting thinner. Therefore, the question is more than justified: How much space is there for the wolf and how much for agriculture that ensured and ensures our daily life?