New pack

Wolves continue to open up new territories

Wolf pups have been observed for the first time north of Lake Walen in nearby Switzerland.

(Bild: Martha Moritz)

Wolf pups have been spotted for the first time north of Lake Walen in the Swiss canton of Sankt Gallen. This is only partly good news for Vorarlberg. 

It is actually a beautiful sight: In the past few days, two hikers have spotted up to three wolf pups on the Gamserrugg near Werdenberg, around 20 kilometers from the Vorarlberg border. This means that a pack of wolves has now settled north of Lake Walen for the first time. This does not come as a surprise: the Swiss Agency for Nature, Hunting and Fishing had already communicated the presence of a pair of wolves in the Werdenberg region several times this year and pointed to a possible pack formation. The next step is to determine the exact number of pups.

Spreading despite shooting
Even though problem wolves have been specifically shot in Switzerland for several months now and the population has probably been reduced by around 20 percent, the large predators are still opening up territories and forming new packs. The good news is that the number of livestock kills in the cantons of Graubünden and St. Gallen has fallen significantly compared to previous years - it is quite possible that hunting is already having an impact on the behavior of Master Isegrim.

Pack formation soon in the Ländle too?
For Vorarlberg, the new pack means one thing above all: the chance of more young wolves straying into the Ländle in search of territory has increased. And the more specimens are on the move, the more likely a pack could form. Almost all experts agree that Vorarlberg is not a very suitable habitat for a pack of wolves due to the extensive alpine farming.