Wolf in Thuringia shot: call to hunt the perpetrator!

Wolf in Thuringia shot: call to hunt the perpetrator!

Wartburgkreis, Deutschland - In Thuringia, the return of the wolves into their old habitats increasingly causes discussions. Especially in rural regions there are always resistance to majestic animals. A current incident in the Wartburg district has heated the minds again: a dead wolf was discovered, which was initially considered the victim. But now it is clear that the animal has been shot illegally. The wolf belonged to the pack of wild spots in the Rhön. Investigations are underway, while the association Wolfschutz-deutschland e.V. filed a complaint against unknown

The chair of the association, Brigitte Sommer, commented on the unscrupulous persecution of the wolves. "We are calling for the establishment of a special police unit to combat wildlife crime," she emphasizes. A reward of 1,000 euros was suspended for clues to take the perpetrator. This is in the context of a nationwide anti-wild animal criminal offensive, which aims to consistently pursue the illegal killing of protected wild animals and create more sensitivity to the problem.

a widespread problem

Wildlife crime is a serious topic in Germany. According to the wwf , not only the wolves are affected, but also numerous other species. So far, over 1,600 cases of illegal persecution of birds of prey have been documented. However, the number of unreported cases could be significantly higher, since many deeds remain undetected. At least 79 wolves were illegally killed in the last quarter of a century, and the information rate is alarming.

A coalition of nature conservation associations, police and science recently launched the “Wildlifecrime” project. This aims to reduce wildlife crime in Germany and Austria by 2028. The crimes are to be fought better through improved cooperation and targeted public education. Among the members are also organizations such as the wwf Germany and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research.

a departure to a new era?

parts of the planned measures include intensification of the forensic-pathological examinations and the creation of a case database in order to be able to better track future acts. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether these approaches actually lead to a higher conviction rate. So far there have been only a few successes, although the illegal killings increase alarming.

The demands for better legal framework and clear structures are getting louder. A controlled handling of killed, protected wild animals is necessary in order to be able to counter the fight against poaching. "It is high time that we take the problem seriously and take consistent steps to improve," says Sommer.

The situation impressively shows that the topic of wild animals and their protection is heavily discussed in our rural areas. A good knack for the cooperation between nature conservation, politics and the population could be crucial to protect the wolves and other endangered species in Germany.