Wolf under pressure: Downgrading the protection status causes excitement!

Wolf under pressure: Downgrading the protection status causes excitement!

Dolomitenstadt, Österreich - A dark day for the wolf and nature conservation: On March 7, 2025, the protection status of the wolf was downgraded from "strictly protected" to "protected", as the Tyrolean farmers' association and the WWF confirm in its statements. This controversial decision, which is the result of a coordination of the constant committee of the Bern Convention of December 3, 2024, causes heated discussions. The regional council and farmers' association chairman Josef Geisler celebrates this as evidence that the wolf in Tyrol is no longer at risk and demands that the EU Commission will quickly present new regulations to cope with the current challenges. He argues that the increased stocks make it necessary to adapt the protective measures, while environmental organizations such as the eco -office indicate the need for scientific evidence and demand responsible monitoring of the wolf population.

consequences of the decision

The downgrading has far -reaching consequences that could not only be noticeable in Austria, but also in Germany. Despite the fact that the EU guidelines continue to keep the wolf under strict protection status, experts fear that hunting regulations will be facilitated in the coming months. The Wolfsschutz-Deutschland e.V. sees this decision a dangerous signal that opens the door for more kills and conflicts. WWF expert Christian Pichler warns that the pressure to shoot wolves in a targeted manner could increase, which could lead to destabilized packs and thus more damage to farm animals. While the hunting lobby celebrates this step as a success, the wolf in Germany, thanks to the Federal Nature Conservation Act and the Fauna Flora-Habitat guideline, remains protected for the moment.

But the resistance to downgrades grows: Five environmental and animal welfare organizations have already brought a lawsuit to the European Court of Justice. They criticize the lack of scientific foundations for the decision and demand independent monitoring of wolf population in order to counteract the impending damage. In Germany, the approval of downgrading by the Federal Environment Ministry under Steffi Lemke was given, which raises the concerned question whether the interests of nature and animal welfare are sufficiently represented. The wolf now needs support more than ever in order to be able to live in our forests in the future, the activists of Wolfschutz-Deutschland e.V. are demanding that vehemently campaign against this development.