This Wednesday, April 27, in the morning, the awakening is once again painful for Paul and Clémence Malleval, breeders in Gourdon. During the night of Tuesday to Wednesday their herd was once again attacked. Six sheep are found dead the next morning.
This is the second attack in less than a week. Already on April 22, their herd fell victim to the wolf. In five days they lost 28 ewes and lambs, “and I’m not telling you about all the other injured sheep that are limping” exasperated Paul.
So this Wednesday, April 27, the FDSEA and JA unions organized a meeting with the Prefect of Ardèche. About 70 people, trade unionists, breeders, elected officials and state representatives met on the farm of Paul and Clémence Malleval.
The Prefect of the Ardèche has listened to the anger of the breeders who are asking for compensation commensurate with the damage suffered and measures to put an end to the presence of the wolf in the Ardèche.
Since Easter Monday, there have already been four attacks: three in Gourdon and one in Berzème. For three of them the wolf was identified with certainty as the author of these attacks, thanks to camera traps. We are still waiting for the analysis results for the fourth attack.
Defensive shots: insufficient measure
The day before (Tuesday, April 26) the Prefecture authorized Paul and Clémence to carry out defensive shootings. These shots can only be done by hunters or people with a license for category C weapons. “This is the difficulty of this measure, there are not enough hunters available to monitor my herd every night”explains Paul Malleval.
Defense shots are useless, you need beats with wolfish lieutenants – Charlie Besson, breeder in Issamoulenc
Several farmers have asked that wolf hunters be mandated to organize a hunt. Impossible for the Prefect of Ardèche because he must respect the law: “You have to do things in order. This cannot be done without knowing the results that the defensive shots will produce”.