Killing wolves: Criticism of the new regulation

The killing of “problem animals” is now faster and, under certain conditions, allowed without an official order. However, killing wolves “without the involvement of environmental and animal protection organizations” is “illegal,” says Madeleine Petrovic, President of Tierschutz Austria. Because the international Aarhus Convention ensures participation.

Animal protection organizations would have “partial status” in the process. Lower Austria has come up with a “legal trick,” says Petrovic, and is replacing specific shooting decisions with general ordinances. She doubts that this is constitutionally correct. Predators are important for the ecological balance, humans cannot “control nature better than nature controls itself,” says Petrovic.