Who would like to shoot on the rooftops of Europe, the king of the Alps, you can do this for almost 30 years for a few Thousand francs in the Canton of Valais. Everything is organized in such a trophies-Safari is perfect. Pure nature, including the shooting down of warranty. Because of the local game wardens know exactly where the animals are, so that the number at the end of a guest, target only, target shooting and, of course, have to pay.

This lucrative business brings in the Valais every year, around 650’000 Swiss francs. Especially, goats are shot with magnificent horns, which are more than eleven years old. The longer the head jewelry, the more it costs. The hunting tourist pays before the Stalking advance of 6500 Swiss francs, and later a bar, the difference depending on the measured horn length of trophy. A practice that has, since 1991, officially usual.

The observations from the 6. November 2019 reported on the ibex hunting in the Canton of Valais. Video: SRF

Due to a report in the Swiss TV this type of hunting Safari is now once again in the cross fire of the criticism. There are some rich foreigners are traveling, apparently, without any respect for the animal and also the seriousness of the hunt just short to the Valais, to take the most beautiful and strongest animals in the colony for your collection at home. So it was already launched a Petition with several Thousand signatures, and also state councillor Jacques Melly is no longer said that the trophy hunting according to the spirit of the times.

120 days of hunting per year

In the Canton of Valais, the stock of stone is wild, with approximately 5300 animals constant. “To regulate the Size of the colony, can be shot each year, eight to nine percent,” says the Valais hunting inspector Peter Scheibler.

While in France or Italy the Alpine ibex strictly in accordance with the Berne Convention is protected, he may be in Switzerland, in spite of this Status, with a permit hunted. In the Grisons alone, 2018, a total of 460 animals and in the Valais, 387 were shot down. In the stone wild firings in the Canton of Valais there are, in addition to the usual lottery for local hunters with Valais Patent annually, 100 to 120-day hunts, which can be bought in the principle of any fighter.

“are set, The rates in each case by the Council of state,” says Peter Scheibler. In 2018, 51 percent of day-permits to hunters from the Valais, 8 percent had gone to hunters from other cantons, and 41 percent of the foreign hunters. You will be accompanied by the relevant Professional gamekeeper. Of the 53 killed goats 8 at the age of 11 years, 13 between the ages of 12 and 32 bucks of between 13 and 16 had been, so they are practically almost at the end of their natural life expectancy.

“Without imposing horns of a Capricorn has no Chance to mate with a female.”Raphaël Arlettaz, nature protection biologist

Only around three to five percent of all animals in a colony are bucks that are older than eleven years, and thus in the best age for successful reproduction. They are the ones who get according to the ranking, especially to reproduce and a female. Thanks to their age and the long horns, they are the hierarchy of Dominance is now at the very top and are one of the Strongest and most Powerful.

But what does it mean from an evolutionary point of view, if not only the females on these old males with the particular horn are magnificent, but also trophy hunters are interested in this big Old bucks? How does such selective hunting, the social structure and the survival of the respective Population?

“Without imposing horns has a Capricorn no Chance to mate with a female,” says the nature protection biologist Raphaël Arlettaz of the University of Bern. Until the age of approximately ten years, the males to be sexually competitive. The Lack of attractive, experienced, old goats can have a very negative impact on the whole Population. “If this leads to increasingly inexperienced Boy to come to the course, this could mean for the female, more Stress”, is Arlettaz concerns. On top of that, not more is ensured by the fact that the most Vigorous and robust Fort most would be plants. Most of them would like a Harem of several females. If, however, a lot of Old would have made of a colony shot, no longer working at the end of the whole System.

inbreeding in the case of ibex

“In the Valais, 41 percent of the bucks were eliminated in the period from 2005 to 2017 annually on average, older than 10 years due to trophy hunting,” adds Arlettaz. This is a large proportion of the most important individuals for the whole Population.

unlike, say, deer or chamois, ibex wear your fighting between two rival males, mainly before the mating time. In the case of the conflict you stand on the hind legs, hold the head wrong, and then crashing down with their long horns toward each other to bounce on. Again and again, both in the process of trying, the opponents from a higher place to attack, to drive long down the slope, until they are in a suitable place, and one of the two emerges victorious.

Even before the rutting is, thus, clarified the dominance hierarchy, so that there is between the males in the Winter, almost no aggressive confrontations more. Because subordinate rams let their dominant competitors, the priority, and not make them access to conception to prepare goats is usually in dispute.

“due to the trophy situation is not clear, more hunts, however, since it can come also to fight during the mating season Rival,” says the evolutionary biologist Lukas Keller of the University of Zurich. This was in the cold Season, is energetically much more exhausting for the two competitors and also more dangerous, because it could then come in steep terrain, faster to crash. A delay in the rut can also lead to the fact that the kids would later be born. to investigate

the impact of trophy hunting on the ibex population in the Valais, it still needs more scientific data. “Rather more facts than emotions,” says Keller, who with his Team across countries so far already in 2000 ibex in the Alps genetically. It was interesting that they had found strong effects of inbreeding on ibex populations. A reduction in the number of age -, reproductive-capable blocks can be used to reinforce the phenomenon.

it was Unclear so far whether the Immigration of the old goats from the neighbouring colonies from the domestic market or abroad affect the inventory in the Canton of Valais, said Arlettaz. Can be compensated by the hunting Safaris gaps in the respective populations, so that there is enough?

Selfie with Capricorn

According to the Valais hunting inspector Scheibler, the gamekeeper, what kind of animal decides to get fired just. A proof of this was seen on a Youtube Video of a hunting-Agency, he says. There you see that the Rangers are convinced of, the tourist before, to shoot the younger of the two, limping animal, rather than the older buck with the largest horns.

a hunting Agency advertises for a trophies-Safari with a gamekeeper. Video: Youtube (sheep show is held Expéditions)

The woman seems to be satisfied – at least you can be radiant with the hunted animal before the classic mountain scenery to photograph.

Created: 19.11.2019, 08:57 PM