death
Poaching - An indecipherable reality
Since the introduction of proactive regulation and on the eve of the wolf's probable downgrading by the Bern Convention, it is vital to mention the causes of wolf mortality in Switzerland and Europe. Some of these are easily quantifiable, notably legal shooting and human-caused accidents (road and rail traffic), which are the two most important. But one unknown factor remains: the number of wolves poached, of which we know nothing most of the time. How is poaching carried out? What methods are used? How important will these cases be in assessing the number of wolves that can be harvested? How can we protect the wolf from a possible decline in numbers if “official” regulation is relaxed? Let's take a look at this thorny but vital issue for the future of the wolf.