Swiss Cantons Allowed To Shoot Beavers Under Specific Conditions

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The Swiss federal government has updated the Hunting Ordinance to include provisions for regulating beaver populations. While nature conservation organisations are outraged, the government argues the changes are necessary in specific circumstances.

This content was published on January 17, 2025 - 11:00 4 minutes Ruth Wittwer, SRF

• Deutsch de Biber dürfen bald geschossen werden – unter Bedingungen Original Read more: Biber dürfen bald geschossen werden – unter Bedingunge
• Français fr Les cantons seront bientôt autorisés à abattre les castors – à certaines conditions Read more: Les cantons seront bientôt autorisés à abattre les castors – à certaines condition
• Italiano it I Cantoni saranno presto autorizzati a sparare ai castori – a determinate condizioni Read more: I Cantoni saranno presto autorizzati a sparare ai castori – a determinate condizion

Starting February 1, Swiss cantons will be permitted to shoot individual beavers if they cause significant damage or pose a danger to people. For instance, this could apply if beaver activity causes streams to overflow, flooding nearby meadows or buildings.

Unlike recent controversial debates about wolf culling, the beaver regulations have attracted less public attention. However, the new rules have sparked criticism from groups such as Pro Natura, WWF Switzerland, and BirdLife, who argue they are overly vague and lack clear thresholds for what constitutes“considerable damage.” Raffael Ayé, managing director of BirdLife, fears this vagueness could lead to arbitrary shootings.

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