The state intended to protect sheep ... who are no longer there!

The
justice system has once again proved ASPAS, Ferus and One Voice right
by suspending two illegal orders for the shooting of wolves, this
time in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Our associations had attacked
these decrees of the Prefect in 24 September which ordered the
slaughter of four wolves, with the possibility of hunters being able
to hunt them until 25 December in the communes of Allos,
Thorame-Basse and Thorame-Haute, so say “protecting herds
against predation” … while sheep are no longer on the pastures
at this time of the year!

In
its order of 20 November, the Marseille Administrative Court
therefore considers that these two prefectural orders do not comply
with the conditions set by the Ministerial Decree of 15 May 2013. “It
is not sufficiently established, by the documents produced by the
Prefect, that the herds remain exposed, during the entire period of
execution of the decree, to the predation of the wolf […] “.

Let
it be known, it is not allowed to slaughter wolves when the sheep
have returned to the sheepfold in autumn! The official argument of
the “protection of herds” no longer deceives anyone: a real wolf
hunt is engaged by some Prefects, with so much zeal that they even
forget the respect of the laws. Thirteen wolves have been killed
since the end of August. Faced with this delirious policy, our
associations appeal to the reason and responsibility of the
representatives of the State. We will continue to fight orders
considered illegal.

Shooting
wolves out of the context of predation on herds is of no use to
pastoralism. The Prefects are pretending to respond to the
difficulties of the breeders by offering hunters the opportunity to
shoot, even if it means putting a protected species at risk. Rather
than digging into this trigger-happy policy, the public authorities
would do better to really support the breeders in their necessary
adaptation to the presence of wolves.