Wolves in danger? Upper Austria urges protection status to reduce it!

Wolves in danger? Upper Austria urges protection status to reduce it!

Oberösterreich, Österreich - On December 3, 2024, a trend -setting step to reduce the protection status of the wolf was initiated in the constant committee of the Bern Convention. The European Union has been given the opportunity to reduce wolf protection in the Flora-Fauna Habitat Directive (FFH Directive). This change will admit more freedom to regulate the wolf populations and enables a targeted hunting, as long as the stocks are not endangered, as ORF reports .

In Upper Austria, this decision is made easier by the individual shot of wolves, whereby the responsible state councilor Michaela Langer-Weninger (ÖVP) rates the measure as positive: "It is a good day for domestic agriculture, forestry and alpine pastures as well as for the safety of our rural population". She emphasized that the pressure from Upper Austria at the EU level finally bore fruit. In the event of the upcoming changes, a veto of signatories could theoretically occur in the next three months, but this is assessed as unlikely, since a two -thirds majority was necessary for the decision.

Current situation and further steps

The adaptations to wolf protection status are also shaped by high expectations. Langer-Weninger notes that reality is extracted: "With over 20,000 wolves and an annual reproductive rate of 30 percent, the favorable state of maintenance is achieved." In order to protect the interests of farmers, the protection status must be designed accordingly, as