25 YEARS OF WOLF PRESENCE IN SWITZERLAND – AN INTERIM ASSESSMENT
Wolves are entering Switzerland again since 1994/1995. The wolf is an animal that arouses the spirits and causes a rift in the community. The year 2020 marked the 25th anniversary of the return of the wolf to Switzerland. The public debate is still shaped by preconceptions and fears. However, the wolf is part of political debates and societal controversies not only in Switzerland, but in all European countries where the wolf returned and where populations recovered in recent years. The 25th anniversary of the return of the wolf to Switzerland is an opportunity for KORA to look back at the evolution of the Swiss wolf population to date, to compile facts and experiences and to compare them with the expectations and fears of the people.
Goal(s)
The aim of the project was to make the debate more factual by compiling the experiences mad and the promising approaches of the last 25 years into a coherent and richly illustrated publication and by making realistic predictions for future developments. This shall contribute to the coexistence between humans and wolf and to the conservation of the wolf in our cultural landscape.
Methods
To reach the goal, KORA has collaborated with expert colleagues as co-authors. Facts and experiences on wolves in Switzerland over the last 25 years were collected, analysed and compared to the expectations and fears of the people. The development of the Swiss wolf population was examined in the context of the revival of the species over the whole of Europe. Its influence on wild game and domestic animals is also presented. Moreover, the future evolution of the population is discussed and recommendations for the coexistence between humans and wolves in Switzerland are given.
Results
The results of this project were published as KORA report no. 91 in German, French and English:
- Stiftung KORA. 2020. 25 Jahre Wolf in der Schweiz – Eine Zwischenbilanz. KORA-Bericht Nr. 91, 80 pp.
(französisch), (english)
Project information
Project duration: August 2019 – April 2020
Study area: whole of Switzerland
Project partners:
- AGRIDEA für die Entwicklung der Landwirtschaft und des ländlichen Raums
- Laboratoire pour la Biologie de la Conservation de l’Université de Lausanne
- Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Sektion Naturschutzgenetik
Contact KORA: Dr. Kristina Vogt