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.
