The decision of Provincial Councilor Martin Gruber to release a problem wolf in the Gailtal for shooting (we reported) caused controversy. More and more voices are being heard criticizing this approach. Many wonder how to precisely identify the wolf to whom the cracks are attributed.
“Wolves don’t have a defined area. They wander around. Sometimes their territory covers more than 200 square kilometers, ”explains wildlife biologist Roman Kirnbauer. From a distance, it is impossible to tell which of the predators that are supposed to roam the three alpine pastures in the Gailtal valley is the problem wolf.
No 100 percent security
“Of course, you can’t be 100 percent sure. But due to the close spatial and temporal correlation between the livestock cracks in this area, it is assumed that the wolf with the designation 120 MATK is still there, ”says Provincial Councilor Martin Gruber’s office. The idiosyncratic-sounding identification code is made up of a consecutive number, the sex of the animal (M – male), the origin (AT – Austria) and the laboratory (K) that confirmed the presence of the wolf.
Criticism comes from the WWF
WWF expert Christian Pichler does not believe in disregarding the protection of wild animals: “Reaching for the rifle is short-sighted and cannot solve conflicts! Instead of undermining the strict Europe-wide status of wolves, the state of Carinthia should quickly promote herd protection measures. The EU funds are available for this, but are not exhausted! “