Wolves in the Westerwald: Paul Bergweiler chases traces and protects nature!

Wolves in the Westerwald: Paul Bergweiler chases traces and protects nature!

in the Westerwald, the role of the volunteer wolf officer has established itself as essential for the protection and monitoring of wolves. Paul Bergweiler, who has been responsible for the western part of the Altenkirchen district since 2014 and the northern part of the Neuwied district, is the focus of this important work. He describes his task as a comparison to a police trace -proof police. This illustrates how seriously and conscientiously he takes the protection of animals. Bergweiler is the first point of contact when it comes to wolf views and takes his duty very seriously.

Bergweiler goes on site for reports of sightings or feeding traces. There he documents the information from photos, measures a bit and holes in the fur and carries out samples. These samples are then sent to the Senckenberg Institute in Gelnhausen, where genetic material is analyzed and compared with existing data. The expertise and distinction of rehearsals are crucial for the identification of wolves. Bergweiler has received between 100 and 150 information in recent years, with about 80 percent of the callers from the circle of hunters. He follows every hint, even if he can often already make an assessment.

voluntary responsibility

The voluntary work of Bergweiler is time -consuming; He invests several hundred hours a year in his tasks as a large carnivoren representative. These important activities are part of a nationwide monitoring, the Research Institute for Forest Ecology and Forestry Rhineland-Palatinate (FAWF) is directed. This institution has systematically recorded references to wolves and since 1999 on the Eurasian lynx (Lynx Lynx).

Monitoring aims to gain knowledge about the occurrence and the spread of these endangered animal species. This creates the basis for their protection and management. In Rhineland-Palatinate, the areas, which are supervised by the large carnivoren officers, were divided into various compartments to ensure effective surveillance. The representatives are not only responsible for data analysis, but also act as an intermediary between the authorities and the population.

The role of monitoring

The data on wolf deposits in Germany are comprehensively compiled by the dbbw (federal documentation and advice center on the subject of wolf) . This organization advises authorities in dealing with wild wolves and provides information about their distribution. Specific changes in the wolf areas are announced, based on the results of the monitoring.

In the current monitoring year 2023/2024 there are a total of 274 wolf territories in Germany, including 209 Wölfrudel and 46 couples. The numbers mentioned at the back underline the importance of monitoring and the need for a well -founded data evaluation in order to further promote the protection of these animals and to promote their distribution.

The large carnivoren hotline in the Rhineland-Palatinate can be reached on 06131-911199 and offers an open ear for everyone who wants to give clues. It is clear that the commitment of people like Paul Bergweiler makes an important contribution to maintaining the wolves in Germany.