Wolf cracks in Upper Austria: DNA analysis makes Schäfer worried!

Wolf cracks in Upper Austria: DNA analysis makes Schäfer worried!

In Upper Austria, an incident with Eleven Dead Schafen in Schönau in the Mühlkreis causes excitement. There has been suspicion of wolf tear for almost two weeks, but an official confirmation is still pending. The Wolf Management Upper Austria has taken DNA samples, the evaluation could take several weeks. Experts expect a waiting time of up to three weeks for the results. The incident occurred in an area that is considered a known wolf area, and the question of guilt seems to have already been clarified for many. Similar uncertainties exist in St. Georgen am Walde, where three sheep were killed on July 22nd, and the results of the DNA analyzes are still pending, and some samples remain unclear. Additional tests could even take five to six weeks longer.

In another well-known case from Rosenau am Hengstpaß, however, it was discovered that a calf was killed, and DNA analysis ruled out the wolf as the culprit because a fox and a dog were identified. The results from Schönau im Mühlkreis are crucial for the debate about how to deal with wolves in Upper Austria. This shows the importance of reliable genetic analyzes to accurately determine the cause of such incidents. The complexity of these studies is also made clear by the nationwide wolf monitoring plan, which is coordinated by the Senckenberg Center for Wildlife Genetics.

Genetic analyzes in focus

The importance of the genetic studies has recently also been discussed in Bavaria. In Farchant there were recently similar incidents with sheep cracks. The State Office for the Environment has found that dogs have been identified as the cause in the past, but in two other cases, dated August 17 and 21, the participation of a wolf was demonstrated. The livestock owners concerned have been informed about the results, but even they are skeptical and demand another independent analysis.

Hermann Ostler, a shepherd, expressed doubts about the LfU's findings and states that a wolf is suspected near Ehrwald, where 15 sheep were killed. These ambiguities highlight the challenges facing authorities. Marcel Zuger, a biologist at ETH Zurich, will give a lecture on August 31st about the effects of wolves in Switzerland and their possible transmission to Bavaria.

Scientific standards and challenges

The genetic analysis of animal remains is a central part of wolf management in Germany and has been carried out systematically since 2010. The Senckenberg Center for Wildlife Genetics processes more than 6,000 samples every year to gain insight into the presence of wolves. These extensive studies are intended to help obtain only species-specific information and to clarify the relationships between different wolf populations. The results of the analyzes are incorporated into recommendations for the management of these animals and influence political decisions on how to deal with wolves in the affected regions.

The DNA analyzes themselves are complex and cost-intensive, which requires financing by the federal states. A sample costs between 100 and 200 euros, plus VAT. Despite the challenges in wolf management, it can be increasingly stated that wolves have been establishing themselves in Germany since the late 1990s and demonstrate the genetic homogeneity of the stocks, while at the same time indicating hybridization with domestic dogs.

The results from Schönau im Mühlkreis could therefore have far-reaching effects on the debate about the protection of wolves and how to deal with them. The situation remains tense and farmers and conservationists are eagerly awaiting the upcoming results of DNA analysis.

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