Protect the sheep from the wolf or the wolf from the man or is there a way to do both, asks Bern
BERN, SWITZERLAND – Bring up hunting and fishing, protecting the environment and the population’s growing use of nature areas, and you can expect passions to rise quickly. This is exactly what the Swiss government found when it put out for public consultation its proposed changes to hunting and fishing laws, the first in 25 years.
The changes, announced in April 2011, would provide wildlife populations with greater protection from human activities, especially leisure use of the outdoors, by creating nature reserve zones.
The new law would provide a number of birds with greater protection, starting with a ban on buckshot with lead to hunt fowl, improved measures to prevent the introduction of non-native animals and longer periods where hunting is not allowed, to protect native species, including carrion crows, jays and magpies. Hunters will be able to go after rooks, on the other hand, because their growing European population is a problem.
Populations and hunting measures for protected animal species, including lynx, wolves and beavers, will be regulated on a regional basis if they are causing too much damage, under the new law—with the stipulation that their populations must be large and stable enough to maintain the diversity of species. Any such measures by cantons must have prior federal government approval.
The consultation period ended 15 July and Bern is now grappling with the thorny problem of how to take into account some 80 strongly voiced and opposing points of view from several organization and individuals, especially over the issue of predatory animals.
Cantonal and federal bodies are mostly in agreement with the proposed changes, according to Detec (the federal department for the environment, energy, transport and communications). Farmers, hunters, fishermen and animal protection groups have come out strongly against specific aspects of the law, but often for diametrically opposed reasons.
Switzerland is home to the Bern Convention, which protects wolves, but the country has also been the scene of an ongoing battle between animal rights groups and farmers, particularly in canton Valais, where the small wolf population has cost farmers by going after herds of sheep.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Russia has decided not to use its quota to hunt 29 polar bears but the decision is probably due to a lack of means to survey the situation, a WWF official in Russia says, according to the Moscow Times. Russia and the United States agreed in 2010 to a culling quota of 58 polar bears that could be hunted by natives for traditional and cultural purposes.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said 8 April on his website that the culling will no go ahead.
Russia had previously banned polar bear hunting but it agreed to the quota system as a means of stopping poaching. The WWF’s Russia office told the Moscow Times that it believes about 30 animals, out of a Bering Straits population of some 2,000 bear, are killed illegally every year. The US estimates that 100 are killed illegally in Alaska.
The Russian programme to end poaching has strong support from Putin, reportedly a wildlife fan.
Links to other sites: Moscow Times, Seattle PI, WWF polar bear page
WWF Umky Patrol, polar bears, in Russia
Traffic and weather forecasts, history of skiing show, horses on ice, motorcycle fair and other good train deals, horses on snow, giant greeting card
Plenty of snow in the Jura! February 2010 (photo: Shirley Curran)
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – This weekend it is Geneva residents who head for the ski slopes en masse, with school holidays the week of 22 February. Expect crowds in all Swiss and nearby French resorts.
History of skiing and extraordinary collection of old skis – don’t miss it!
Conthey history of ski exhibit, Coop centre
Ski collection of Laurent Donze, more than 2,000 skis showing centuries of history
The newly redone large Coop in Conthey, two minutes off the autoroute in the heart of a large shopping complex, is home to an extraordinary collection of skis until 28 February. This is a must-see exhibit which recounts the history of skiing from ancient times, put together by Laurent Donzé, who has been president of the Swiss Cross Country Ski Federation. He told GenevaLunch he began collecting skis more than 30 years ago and he now has over 2,000 skis in his collection.
If you think downhill skiing began with the arrival in Switzerland of the British, you might find history shows it is a bit more complicated than that. The exhibit is well documented and illustrated, but the skis themselves offer a reminder of how the need for skis and their designs have changed.
Weather forecast
Rain mixed with snow Friday afternoon on the plain. Snow down to 700 metres in Alpine and Jura areas. Saturday: gradually clearing on the plain, with highs of 4-5C,. Snow Saturday in the Alps, with highs of 9C in the Alps due to warming foehn winds. Winds moderate on western edge of the Alps.
Traffic forecast
Geneva begins its vacation, but so do 10 other cantons Friday 19 February, so TCS warns that traffic will build during the afternoon. The area around Lausanne and heading towards Valais, around the Glion tunnel, are expected to be the worst-hit areas. List of expected heavy traffic areas and time, TCS. For current traffic advisories: TCS in French and the federal truck site in English. Reminder for drivers leaving Geneva: expect delays around Nyon and Gland due to roadworks that continue until 25 February.
Alpine resorts
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swiss hunting laws will be revised by the federal department for the environment because of significant changes in the past 20 years to the wildlife population and the growth of popular sports, which have an impact on wildlife habitats.
