New wolf pack identified in Switzerland

A new wolf pack has been observed in the eastern Swiss canton of Graubünden, bringing the number of packs in the mountainous region to six.

The Stagias pack, as it has been called, has three cubs, and is active in the upper Surselva region, Graubünden’s hunting and fishing department announced on Friday.

This brings the number of wolf packs in Graubünden to six, also counting the Morobbia pack on the border with the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, it added.

There are now between 35-40 wolves in the canton, including 17 born last year.

Department head Adrian Arquint told the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA that the authorities expected wolf numbers to rise. But this does mean that wolves make their presence more felt. Particularly worrying are “problem animals” who jump over livestock fences or get too close to populated areas and used to humans.

Experts estimate that there are around 80 wolves across Switzerland; there are two packs in canton Valais and one in canton Jura, both regions in the west of the country.

Hunting vote

The Swiss are set to vote on controversial hunting reforms on September 27, after intervention by animal protection campaigners.

They are protesting recent legal amendments to the Swiss hunting law which would make it easier to hunt protected species such as wolves, bears and ibex to prevent property damage or danger to humans. The amendments permit targeted individual shooting and provides for a transfer of decision-making powers from the federal government to the country’s 26 cantons.