Cantonal officials have approved the shooting of the wolf or wolves responsible for killing two cows and injuring another in the last few days in canton Valais.

DNA tests made on the bite wounds confirmed the presence of one or more wolves in the region of Crans-Montana.

The authorisation will be published on August 6 in an official statement and its validity period will be 60 days.

Thomas Briner of the hunting section of the Environment Office said in June that only wolves that had killed at least 25 sheep in a month and 35 in four months would be put down.

There are currently no measures for cattle protection.

The decision to allow the wolf to be shot has been criticised by WWF, which found it “hasty” and claimed one couldn’t “solve a problem with a rifle”.

The organisation said canton Valais had better worry about superior herd protection, which has already proven to be efficient in other cantons like Vaud and Bern.

swissinfo.ch and agencies

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative