For several weeks, the owners of the sheep flock in Puy-de-Dôme have been worried. Like their colleagues in the neighboring department of Limousin, who are more accustomed to this problem, Auvergne breeders have to deal with wolves. This is proven by several recorded acts of predation that “do not rule out the possibility of wolf tracks”, according to the Territorial Directorate, such as in La Tour-d’Auvergne, at the end of last October, where a sheep and a sheep were found dead.
“I get a lot of phone calls and photos sent from breeders who have questions,” reports Richard Randanne, president of the Puy-de-Dôme Department of Sheep Federation. As long as we are not affected by it, it is still far from our reach. On the other hand, when you are a victim, it becomes something more significant. » If the time is not for psychosis, anxiety arises in this supposedly unknown territory of the dog. Its presence has only been known for several years.
“The first attack must have occurred in 2021 or 2022,” recalled Richard Randanne. And the location could be close to Clermont-Ferrand, near urban housing. We see that the wolf is not afraid of Man. I think this will start to play out in the heads of farmers and livestock breeders, especially in departments where there is a lot of collective activity with livestock breeders. »
“Protecting livestock is not the best solution”
Concerned with “respect for biodiversity,” Richard Randanne wanted to measure his comments when discussing this hot topic to avoid potentially creating tension or controversy with wolf advocates. On the other hand, breeders based in Vernines, already exhausted by bluetongue management, are waiting for a response from the State. “Protecting livestock is not the best solution because it will create more jobs for livestock farmers,” he explained. On the contrary, the percentage of wolf captures should be increased. »
