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In the mountain regions, poachers enjoy more sympathy than wolves – farmers’ anger at wolf attacks on their animals is too great. New figures show: More than one in seven dead wolves found are victims of poaching.
Here, next to the sheepfold, Matthias Schnyder shot the Wolf M250 at dawn. The convicted poacher receives the “Rundschau” at the crime scene. “I come to the stable, do an inspection, I was armed. Then I see the wolf attacking the sheep,” says Matthias Schnyder, remembering the moment he shot the wolf. The crime happened in October 2022. “I knew what I was doing. We have laws in Switzerland. I knew exactly: the wolf is a protected animal. But I also have an obligation to my animals.”
More than one in seven wolves are poached
The wolf has many enemies in Switzerland. Wolves are regularly killed illegally. Mostly with firearms, also with poison. Research by “Rundschau” shows that more than one in seven wolves found dead in this country were victims of poaching.
Specifically: There have been 128 dead wolves since 1998 until the end of August 2023. Eleven of them were killed illegally. In the case of eight other wolves that were legally shot or killed in a traffic accident, investigations showed that the wolves had previously been shot illegally. The Federal Office for the Environment Bafu confirms these figures to the “Rundschau”. And: not all dead wolves are found. The actual number of poaching cases could therefore be even higher.
Neither hero nor villain – shooting was his duty
Matthias Schnyder’s fatal shot has a history. One that put a lot of strain on the mountain farmer. Two nights before, the wolf attacks part of the flock of sheep that is in the pasture next to the stable. Schnyder discovered around a dozen dead and injured sheep. The images of dead and injured sheep remain in the mind.
He worries about his sheep and doesn’t sleep well. So he takes a rifle with a scope out of the closet – a weapon for which he was not authorized – and drives to the stable. When the wolf reappears, he reacts. “The adrenaline is immediately at your fingertips,” says Schnyder. He shoots at the wolf from 50 meters. “In hindsight, you can perhaps say that I could have shot into the air and not directly at the wolf.” The injured wolf runs towards the edge of the forest and dies.
“I am not a poacher”
On social media, the then unknown wolf shooter was celebrated by some and criticized by others. The Upper Valais public prosecutor’s office sentenced Matthias Schnyder this summer for poaching and violations of the weapons law.
He sees himself as a shepherd who has done his duty: “I am not a poacher. I protected my sheep. I was convicted as a poacher, that’s correct. But I’m not some weirdo who hunts wolves or trophies.” Schnyder bears the consequences – a conditional fine of 4,000 francs and a fine of 950 francs. Even if he acted wrongly according to the law, he is personally convinced that he acted morally right.