New wolf regulation in Lower Austria: Keeping away from livestock cracks allowed

New wolf regulation in Lower Austria: Keeping away from livestock cracks allowed

In Lower Austria, the wolf regulation is redesigned to react to the increasing cracks of farm animals and at the same time strengthen the rights of farmers. State Vice Stephan Pernkopf (ÖVP) announced in front of journalists in St. Pölten: " We are no longer waiting for the second crack ". This statement illustrates the urgency with which the state government is.

The original wolf regulation came into force in April 2023 and has so far required official approval for degrees or kills. This regulation is now being drastically simplified. Instead of waiting for a second confirmed crack, measures to protect farm animals can be taken immediately if there is an immediate danger to other animals within two weeks. The cracks already rose from 15 in 2022 to 44 this year, which underlines the need for the new measure.

New regulations for shooting wolves

Specify the adjustments to the regulation that a wolf is possible as soon as it appears in a populated area or near inhabited buildings twice within two weeks - a doubling of the previous regulation that was only once over a period of one week. This measure is intended to help farmers to protect themselves better.

Pernkopf pointed out that the new provisions also include a geographical expansion of the regulation. Wolves can not only be shot down in the hunting area in which the undesirable behavior occurred, but also adjacent hunting grounds are now affected. "The wolf is no longer threatened with extinction, but it threatens other animals. And above all, it threatens people," he said.

Aktuell live in Austria 104 wolves with DNA proof, spread over seven packs, with about 30 of these wolves to be found in Lower Austria. The state government has also increased the funding for protection fences, which enables farmers to take better measures to protect their farm animals. The support share was raised from 50 to 80 percent, and over 100 companies have already made use of this support.

The current development shows how important it is to find a balance between the protection of the land idyll and the prosperity of the livestock -bustling agriculture. The regulation aims to protect both the wolves and to ensure a certain level of security.

The exact details of this legal adaptation and its impact on the wildlife in Lower Austria can be found in the report of www.oekoreich.com are read.