Bern Bernese gamekeeper kills wolf in Simmental

Gamekeepers have shot a wolf in the Simmental - five days after the canton ordered the animal to be shot. This was announced by the Bernese Environment Directorate on Monday.

The wolf was shot in the Boltigen region on Monday night as it was about to kill another animal. The dead wolf was taken to the Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health at the University of Bern for further examination. The canton did not wish to provide any further details.

The wolf is said to have killed nine sheep in the municipality of Boltigen between July 1 and 5. These belonged to a protected herd of 2,000 animals that are summered in the border area between the cantons of Bern and Fribourg.

According to the canton, the bite patterns pointed to a wolf as the culprit. The canton ordered the animal to be shot on July 10 - partly at the request of the Bernese Farmers' Association - even though DNA samples had not yet been taken.

Last year, the cantons of Bern and Fribourg had already issued culling orders for the same area. A wolf was subsequently shot in the canton of Fribourg.

SDA