Innsbruck (OTS) – Animal welfare is non-negotiable. Nevertheless, when dealing with large predators such as wolves and bears, society must be aware that risky animals cannot be ignored. Therefore, more common sense than ideology would be required.
Wolf, lynx and bear would choose Europe. Before the European elections in 2019, the nature conservation organization WWF campaigned intensively for the settlement of large carnivores. She wanted to show ways, chances and challenges for a coexistence in the living and natural areas. After all, these wild animals were almost extinct in the Alpine arc at the beginning of the 19th century as a result of consistent hunting. With resettlement projects, they have once again become part of the Alpine ecosystem. However, the desire for biodiversity meets with irreversible expansion of settlement and economic areas.
The original habitat for the roaming large carnivores has shrunk, the permanent settlement area has expanded. This also includes the farmed alpine pastures as a livelihood for local farmers and a sign of an intact cultural landscape. keyword tourism. The resulting potential for conflict can neither be explained away nor glossed over. Because some things just don’t go together. This is neither the fault of the big predators nor the cattle and alpine farmers and certainly not the local population.
Nevertheless, animal and species protection relentlessly collide with fears, worries and hundreds of livestock – mainly sheep. And in Trentino even a jogger was fatally injured by a female bear. Anyone who is not talking about a risk animal and continues to uphold the strict protection standard is not giving common sense the slightest chance. Her brother “Bruno” was already a problem bear before 2006. But not every brown bear that roams our forests automatically falls into the category “Bruno” or “JJ4”.
Dealing with wolves, lynxes and bears therefore remains a tightrope walk. Yes, the large predators are an alpine reality in 2023, but the coexistence of humans and bears, for example, often fails due to narrow-minded ideology. The plans for romanticizing wolf or bear management, mostly drawn up on urban drawing boards, sound pretty good, but so far things have worked more badly than well in rural areas. Only: It would also be short-sighted if politicians wanted to solve the problem alone with guns at the ready. That does not work.
Unfortunately, many laws made in the ivory towers of politicians and authorities have undermined common sense. Risk bears or wolves must be caught or removed. If necessary, preventively. With a high degree of responsibility and the awareness that animal welfare must not be called into question. But also not the animal suffering caused by cracks or the danger emanating from the large predators in the vicinity of settlements.
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