Swiss Parliament seeks a cap on the country’s wolf population

The National Council’s 116 to 73 vote puts a legal ceiling on wolves at the centre of Swiss wildlife policy. Parliament has approved a motion requiring the Federal Council to design an upper limit for the country’s wolf population and permit regional culls when numbers exceed that threshold. Six deputies abstained. The Council of States approved the motion during the spring session, giving the proposal support in both chambers.\n\nFabio Regazzi, a Centre Party senator from Ticino, argued that the growth of wolf numbers has placed increasing pressure on Alpine agriculture. His motion records a rise from around a dozen wolves in Switzerland in 2010 to more than 300 today, alongside more than 30 packs. Swissinfo.ch separately reported that the country had 43 packs in 2025, indicating that the population continues to expand.\n\nThe vote does not establish a numerical cap or authorise an immediate cull. Those details now pass to the Federal Council, which must draft the legal and administrative framework. Parliament will have another opportunity to examine the changes. A referendum could also give Swiss voters the final say if opponents gather sufficient support.

Switzerland’s reported wolf population has grown from around 12 animals in 2010 to more than 300 today. The figures underpin Parliament’s decision to pursue a national threshold, although the motion does not specify the number of wolves or packs that Switzerland should accept.\n\nThe proposal also reflects a shift in how lawmakers view the geographic impact of the population. A threshold would apply nationally, while culling would take place in the region where the limit had been exceeded. The Federal Council will have to determine how authorities measure the population, how often they update the count and which territorial unit triggers intervention.\n\nThe latest figures cited in the source material show 43 packs in 2025. The motion itself refers to more than 30 packs, a lower figure that may reflect a different date or counting point. Both numbers document the same trend: wolves have established themselves across more of Switzerland since their return.\n\nA population ceiling would also require rules for packs that cross cantonal boundaries. The government must decide how regional action would interact with federal conservation duties, cantonal authority and monitoring of individual animals. None of those operational questions has yet been settled.

Supporters say the existing permit system is too slow, complex and ineffective for a rapidly expanding population. Under current rules, cantonal and federal authorities issue permits for case by case culls. Regazzi’s motion argues that this process does not respond quickly enough to the pressures facing Alpine farms and traditional pastoral practices.\n\nThe proposed threshold would create a broader management trigger. Once the national limit was exceeded, authorities could act in the affected region rather than waiting for a separate decision linked to each individual wolf or incident. Parliament has not yet defined the conditions that would govern such action.\n\nFor mountain farmers, the debate concerns the practical costs of protecting livestock in steep and remote terrain. Herd surveillance, fencing and guardian dogs can demand labour and investment that small Alpine operations may struggle to sustain. The motion says the consequences for Alpine farming are becoming increasingly serious and threaten traditional pastoral farming.\n\nThe decision does not remove the need for evidence. Officials would still need reliable counts, clear regional criteria and procedures for authorising, carrying out and reviewing culls. The legislation will determine whether the system focuses on pack numbers, individual animals, livestock attacks or a combination of those measures.