Wolf

The return of the wolf to intensively used cultural landscapes represents a major challenge for species conservation. Wolves cope extremely well with the living conditions in cultivated landscapes, which brings with it considerable potential for conflict. Unprotected livestock herds are repeatedly affected by damage caused by wolves. For some people, the presence of wolves causes discomfort or even a feeling of fear. Sophisticated conflict solutions and measures to minimize conflicts are therefore the most important conservation efforts for wolves.

In accordance with Art. 28d of the Nature and Landscape Protection Act, the Office of Environment develops management concepts for specifically protected animal species with the involvement of the stakeholders. On July 9, 2019, the government approved the Wolf Liechtenstein concept.
The concept is to be understood as an instrument that serves to prevent and minimize conflicts and thus plays a key role in enabling humans and wolves to live together in an orderly and low-conflict manner.

After a public consultation, the revised concept was approved by the government on July 11, 2023.
The most relevant change to the consultation version of the Swiss Wolf Concept concerns measures against individual wolves that cause damage. The damage threshold is reduced from 15 to 6. In the case of animals of the cattle or horse species and New World camelids, major damage and thus the possibility of a wolf cull exists if at least one animal has been killed or seriously injured.
In addition to the definition of these new damage thresholds, the most important changes in the Wolf Liechtenstein concept are:
- So-called reasonable herd protection measures are designated for all animal species.
- The designation of alpine pastures or parts of alpine pastures that cannot reasonably be protected will be determined in the course of the herd protection consultation

The Office of Environment records the situation found and, for example, takes genetic samples from the wolf litter in the event of a scat find, which can be used to precisely identify the suspected large carnivore at the individual level.  

The entire population must ensure that all food sources accessible to wolves, such as garbage bags stored outdoors, garbage bins, pet food or food leftovers on accessible compost heaps, are avoided. Wolves must not be attracted to openly accessible potential food.

Further behavioral recommendations can be found in the following leaflets:

The Herd Protection SG contact point informs the affected regions by text message. In regions with a permanent presence of large carnivores, the need for notifications is limited to the most important ones. The SMS messages sent are based on reliable evidence and corresponding SCALP categories C1 and C2 (definition below). For data protection reasons, livestock owners must actively register to be included in the SMS reporting system.
Contact: Cathérine Frick (+423 236 66 06) 

In addition, the Office of Environment publishes media releases when wolves are confirmed to inform the general public about their presence.

Wolf records in the neighboring canton of St. Gallen since 17.04.2022 are published on the website of the Office for Nature, Hunting and Fishing and can be accessed via the following link:

Wolf detection in the canton of St. Gallen

Wolf records in the neighboring canton of Graubünden are published on the website of the Office for Hunting and Fishing and can be accessed via the following link: 

Wolf evidence in the canton of Graubünden

Reports in wolf monitoring must be evaluated and divided into 3 categories according to their significance and verifiability. The so-called SCALP criteria are used for this. These were developed for the "Conservation of the Alpine Lynx Population" (SCALP) project with the aim of standardized, transnational lynx monitoring in the Alps so that the reference data can be compared with each other. These criteria were also adopted for the detection of wolves and bears.

Category C1 evidence - the C stands for "Category" - is reliable evidence, i.e. hard facts that clearly confirm the presence of an animal. This category includes (unambiguous) photos, genetic evidence (saliva, droppings), dead finds, live catches or data from telemetry tracking.

Category C2 evidence is confirmed evidence by persons with appropriate training; this includes cracks (livestock and wild animals) and tracks

Category C3 evidence is unverified findings of cracks, tracks and droppings, as well as all unverifiable evidence such as vocalizations or visual observations. Random observations from the public are an immense and important source of information, as many people are out and about in nature every day. Among the C3 reports, there are always those where an animal was mistaken for a wolf (be it a fox, a dog or a golden jackal). Nevertheless, such reports are important for the AU and are routinely recorded in a database. In combination with C2 or C1 evidence, C3 reports can also provide important conclusions about the likely appearance and behavior of wolves

In both large carnivore management and livestock protection, Liechtenstein is closely aligned with Swiss enforcement practice. The livestock owner is generally responsible for livestock protection measures on home and alpine pastures. Livestock owners in Liechtenstein as well as alpine cooperatives receive free herd protection advice in Liechtenstein. This is provided by experts from the Herd Protection Contact Point at the Agriculture Center St. Gallen (LZSG) and is individually tailored to the farm.

The most important and most common herd protection measure is an electrified fence with a minimum height of 90-110 cm (especially on slopes, the fence should be higher on the uphill side) and a minimum voltage of 3,000 volts. The lowest wire should be no more than 15 cm from the ground and should not touch the ground or grass (mow out or cut free the vegetation). Depending on the situation, willow netting or four stranded wires are used. Knotted grids can be equipped with two additional current-carrying strands in accordance with the information sheet

Appointments for livestock protection advice can be arranged via the Office of Environment Cathérine Frick (+423 236 66 06) or directly via the LZSG, Sven Baumgartner (058 228 24 00)

The subsidies in Liechtenstein are based on the Ordinance on the Prevention of and Compensation for Damage Caused by Specifically Protected Animal Species (VVSV).

In Liechtenstein, the following contributions are paid towards livestock protection measures:

• CHF 1 per running meter of pasture netting (blue and white, minimum height 1 m), but no more than 50% of the total costs;
• 50% of the costs for stranded fencing to protect livestock (requirements: see specifications for herd protection); strands in white or blue-white
• 50 % of the cost of pasture fencing equipment, up to a maximum of CHF 500 per device

The AU generally recommends not using orange pasture nets, as these are difficult to see for both livestock and wild animals. Contrasting colors (blue and white) are recommended.

Orange willow nets can therefore no longer be remunerated with immediate effect.
Please refer to the information sheet "Wolf protection fences on small livestock pastures" under "The most important information sheets for livestock farmers at a glance".

Liechtenstein is currently in the situation of lone wolves moving through. So far, there are no indications that a wolf or several wolves have settled here for the long term. For you as a livestock owner, this means that the reasonable herd protection measures listed below should be implemented in the medium to long term.

In Liechtenstein, electrified fences have top priority.

The electrified fence fulfills several functions:

- Prevent large predators from entering the herd      
- Preventing the learning effect that farm animals are easily available food for the wolf à negative conditioning through electrocution

Without the presence of wolves, it has not always been necessary - depending on the animal species - to maintain a minimum voltage of 3,000 volts or more to prevent their own animals from escaping from fence systems. However, with the expected increase in wolf pressure over the next few years, it will become increasingly important to have both good fencing material and sufficiently powerful pasture fencing equipment available.

When wolves are present, they often exhibit exploratory behavior at the fence to look for hiding or hiding places; sometimes wolves also try to dig under a fence. Individual wolves learn to overcome herd protection measures by jumping over a fence in order to reach livestock; these wolves are referred to as "damaging" and can be removed under certain conditions (see chapter "4.5 Measures against individual damaging wolves" and  "4.6 Measures against wolf packs in the event of major damage or considerable danger" in the Wolf Liechtenstein concept).

The Liechtenstein Livestock Guarding Dogs Directive regulates the requirements for keeping livestock guarding dogs subsidized by the Principality of Liechtenstein as well as the corresponding contribution amounts.

The mandate to develop this directive is based on Art. 6 of the Ordinance on the Prevention of and Compensation for Damage Caused by Specifically Protected Animal Species (VVSV).
The directive was approved by the government on July 11, 2023.

In principle, the implementation of herd protection measures is the responsibility of each livestock owner. Sheep and goats are particularly at risk from attacks by wolves; more than 90% of all wolf attacks affect these two animal species. The most important and most common herd protection measure is an electrified fence with a minimum height of 90-110 cm (especially on slopes, the fence should be higher on the mountain side) and a minimum voltage of 3,000 volts. The lowest wire should be no more than 15 cm from the ground and should not touch the ground or grass (mow out or cut free the vegetation). Depending on the situation, willow netting or at least four stranded wires are used.

The following subsidies are available to support herd protection measures for small livestock:

• CHF 1 per linear meter of pasture netting (blue and white, minimum height 1 m), up to a maximum of 50% of the total costs;
• 50% of the costs for stranded fencing to protect livestock (requirements: see specifications for herd protection); strands in white or blue-white
• 50 % of the costs of pasture fencing equipment, up to a maximum of CHF 500 per device

- Electrified fences are also considered reasonable for New World camelids (llamas and alpacas), free-range pigs and deer in enclosures.

- For animals of the cattle and horse species, monitoring the mother animal with her young during the birth process, keeping them together on supervised pastures during the first two weeks of life and the immediate removal of afterbirths or dead young animals are considered reasonable.

- In principle, all farm animals that are kept in stables or on paved exercise areas on the premises of the operating site are considered protected.

The following subsidies are provided to support herd protection measures for this animal species:

• Pasture fencing devices: 50% of the costs for new purchases, maximum CHF 500 per device (target: reaching the minimum voltage of 3,000 volts);

In principle, the presence of fences or electrified fences is already standard in animal husbandry, as these are to be seen as part of the equipment for animal husbandry. Funding can therefore only be provided for what is additionally necessary due to the presence of wolves (e.g. for calving pastures; see above).      

Contributions to prevention measures can be paid after a joint meeting prior to the purchase of the fencing material with the Office of Environment and upon presentation of the receipts.

As part of the project "Fence effectiveness for protection against wolves", a study was carried out with enclosure wolves. The results of the project were realized in the film "Wolf protection fence for small livestock".

Film "Wolf protection fence for small livestock"

The contents listed in the information sheets are exemplary recommendations. Herd protection advice is recommended for measures tailored to your own farm.

If a large carnivore is suspected to have injured or killed a farm animal or if the presence of a lynx or wolf is suspected (direct observations, tracks, droppings), the Office of Environment must be contacted immediately.

In order to make it easier to reach the AU in matters relating to the presence of large carnivores in Liechtenstein, the mobile number 00423 799 40 37 has been set up. Please use this number (7 days a week) if you have an emergency.

The carcass must be left unchanged so as not to cover any tracks, and both dogs and livestock must be kept away from the tear until the Office of Environment arrives.

The Office of Environment records the situation found and, in the event of a tear, takes genetic samples with which the alleged large carnivore can be precisely identified at the individual level. The Office of Environment is also responsible for compensating livestock that have been killed.

The Herd Protection Office SG, which provides herd protection advice in Liechtenstein, can initiate immediate measures in the event of a large carnivore attack.

Short film "Herd protection deployment"