The German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, under the leadership of Alois Rainer (CSU), is poised to significantly expand wolf hunting regulations nationwide, according to a confidential draft proposal for an amendment to the Federal Hunting Act revealed by “Tagesspiegel Background”. The proposed changes, currently under review, represent a sharp escalation in the ongoing debate surrounding wolf management and threaten to undermine previous conservation efforts.
The draft proposes a regular hunting season for wolves across Germany, spanning from September 1st to February 28th of the following year. This period would be permissible only after the implementation of cross-regional management plans and confirmation that wolf populations remain in a “favorable conservation status” a status recently declared by the federal government to the European Commission for two of Germany’s three biogeographical regions. However, critics argue that the criteria for this “favorable status” are increasingly vague and politicized, susceptible to manipulation to justify expanded hunting quotas.
More controversially, the amendment grants considerable discretionary power to regional hunting authorities. Beyond the defined hunting season, these authorities would be authorized to order the culling of individual wolves or entire packs to prevent perceived agricultural and forestry damage – a move that circumvents the established system of assessing wolf-caused losses and assigning responsibility. This provision raises serious concerns about the potential for arbitrary decisions and the risk of preemptive killings of wolves lacking demonstrable links to property damage.
The proposed changes reflect a pre-existing agreement within the governing coalition (Union and SPD) to bring wolves under the jurisdiction of hunting law and ease restrictions on their hunting. This agreement, while framed as a response to concerns from farmers and forestry workers, has drawn condemnation from environmental protection groups who see it as a reversal of progressive conservation policies and a prioritizing of economic interests over ecological sustainability. The shift towards a more aggressive approach to wolf management also raises questions about Germany’s commitment to its obligations under EU biodiversity regulations, potentially opening the country to legal challenges. The draft is expected to ignite intense parliamentary debate and will likely face substantial opposition from environmental advocacy organizations determined to preserve the existing framework of wolf conservation.