Motion 142

Argument for Urgent IUCN Action on Switzerland's Preventive Wolf Culling

Switzerland's revised hunting Ordinance (OChP), effective 1 Feb 2025, represents an unprecedented escalation in wolf persecution that demands immediate IUCN intervention. The regulations permit "proactive regulation": preventative culling up to 2/3 of cubs in all packs, plus extermination of entire packs and establishes an arbitrary minimum of just 12 packs nationwide, far below the 20-pack threshold FOEN itself deemed necessary for species survival.

Scale and Urgency of Current Culling
As of September 2025, culling is underway in eight cantons targeting 21 of Switzerland's estimated 37-42 packs. Six packs face complete eradication, while others will have up to two-thirds of cubs killed regardless of livestock predation. In total, 99 wolves are targeted proactively (86 being cubs), with an additional 20 reactive permits issued. Legal shooting now claims approximately 100 wolves annually - around one-third of the population -making it the leading cause of death and posing severe risks to genetic viability across the Alpine metapopulation.

Legal and Scientific Violations
Switzerland's practices violate Bern Convention obligations to maintain Favourable Conservation Status. The Federal Constitution prohibits native species eradication, yet the 12-pack threshold is being interpreted as a population target rather than a minimum, contradicting the constitutional principle that wolves must occupy all suitable habitat (Switzerland could support 70-100 packs bio-environmentally)

Recent evidence reveals systematic non-compliance: FOEN's May 2025 report showed in 2024, 125 wolves were approved for shooting, plus 92 killed preventatively without livestock predation history. Alarmingly, 40% wolves shot in Valais (2023-4) were "wrong" individuals, not from targeted packs, rising to 50% in 2024-5. 15 wolves (plus both breeding adults) whose core territory lay in the Swiss National Park/UNESCO biosphere reserve were shot were shot when they left the park, based on inconclusive evidence linking them to 2 cow deaths.

Counterproductive Outcomes
Scientific evidence confirms that destabilizing stable packs increases livestock predation as packs splinter and inexperienced juveniles disperse. Switzerland's own data contradicts the rationale: wolves cause only 2% of livestock losses (50-70 cattle annually, mostly unprotected calves), while 85,000 dairy cows are routinely slaughtered for herd renewal, with 25,000 more potentially culled due to market regulation.

Expanding Threat
The situation is deteriorating rapidly. Wolves are now legally hunted eight months yearly. Hunters (not just game wardens) are being authorized to shoot wolves after minimal two-hour training, effectively making wolves a huntable species. "Wolf-free zones" are being proposed, and the Council of States approved motions for "defensive shooting" of all "problem" wolves year-round, including in 43 federal protected areas where hunting is banned.

Immediate Action Required
Switzerland's position as a crucial Alpine migration corridor means its policies create demographic "black holes" affecting the entire European wolf population. With cubs being indiscriminately killed and entire packs eliminated during the current 2025-6 cycle, irreversible genetic and population damage is imminent. IUCN must call for immediate suspension of all preventive culling pending independent review of Bern Convention compliance.