Rheinland-Pfalz minister supports culling of problem wolves

Rheinland-Pfalz Environment Minister Christine Schneider has expressed support for the culling of ‘problem wolves’ that repeatedly kill livestock despite protective measures. The CDU politician stated that the state is working on updates to the state hunting law and hunting ordinance to implement federal regulations regarding these specific cases.

Schneider emphasized that culling would not apply to isolated incidents but would require verified identification that the animals have indeed preyed on sheep or other grazing livestock. The decision to reduce populations would also depend on the overall conservation status of the wolf species.

Currently, Rheinland-Pfalz is not considered a wolf hotspot, with the ministry reporting six packs totaling twelve animals, plus one lone wolf. However, the minister noted the importance of establishing management plans to prevent the situation from escalating to levels seen in Lower Saxony or eastern Germany. The new state hunting law is expected to come into force in April next year.