Major Wolf Attack in Vaud Raises Wildlife Management Concerns

Ten sheep lie dead in Valeyres-sous-Rances, victims of a brutal resurgence in wolf activity that has shattered the peace of the Vaud countryside. This Monday night assault marks the first major wolf attack on Swiss livestock in 2025, abruptly ending a months-long reprieve for local farmers. The canton confirmed the devastation on Wednesday, sending shockwaves through an agricultural community that had hoped the worst was behind them.

The attack is not merely a statistic; it is a violent reminder of the persistent threat lurking in the Swiss periphery. While authorities grapple with the immediate aftermath, the loss of ten animals in a single night underscores the lethal efficiency of these predators. This incident forces a harsh spotlight back onto the vulnerability of northern Vaud's flocks, demanding immediate attention from wildlife managers who are now facing a renewed crisis on their doorstep.

For five months, the wolf remained a ghost, unseen and unheard. Until this week, the cantonal predation tables had remained largely clean of wolf incidents since November 14, 2024. The only disturbances to the pastoral quiet since January 7 had been isolated lynx attacks in the Lavaux and Chablais regions—incidents that pale in comparison to the carnage a wolf pack can inflict.

This sudden escalation in April signals a dramatic shift in the predator dynamic for 2025. The lull provided a false sense of security, which has now been violently stripped away. The transition from sporadic lynx activity to a mass-casualty wolf event changes the tactical landscape for herd protection. Farmers who had breathed a sigh of relief over the winter must now scramble to reinforce defenses, as the predator's return to the charts is marked not by a whimper, but by a significant double-digit loss.

The shadow of the Mont Tendre pack looms large over this latest tragedy. This specific group of predators is responsible for a staggering 75% of all attacks in the Jura region of Vaud, cementing their reputation as a critical threat to regional agriculture. They are not just random wanderers; they are a calculated, problematic force that authorities have been desperate to neutralize.

Last summer, the situation reached a boiling point when the canton of Vaud took the unprecedented step of requesting authorization to cull the entire pack—seven wolves in total. While Bern reviewed the request to eliminate the threat, the pack has since been reduced to four individuals. However, as Monday's attack demonstrates, even a diminished pack possesses the capacity for significant destruction. The failure to completely neutralize this specific threat continues to have bloody consequences for Vaud's livestock owners.

While Vaud grapples with its management strategy, Eastern Switzerland has taken a far more aggressive stance. In a massive coordinated effort between wildlife wardens and hunters, the canton of Graubünden eliminated nearly 50 wolves in a mere five-month window ending January 2025. This lethal crackdown stands in stark contrast to the ongoing struggles in the west.

The disparity in numbers is jarring. While Graubünden successfully executed a cull of 48 predators to curb population growth, Vaud is still battling to manage the remnants of single packs. This divergence in execution raises uncomfortable questions about the consistency and effectiveness of federal predator management. As Vaud faces its first major crisis of the year, the aggressive precedent set in the east may fuel demands for more decisive action, turning the debate from management to eradication in high-conflict zones.