The spokesperson for the region, Nikola Birklenová, said that the legal conditions for granting an exemption had not been met.

“The regional office is primarily based on requests and opinions from the Czech Republic Agency for Nature and Landscape Protection (AOPK). At the moment, the options for preventing unwanted wolf attacks have not been exhausted, for example by providing sufficient security for livestock and possibly scaring off wolves in pastoral areas, which do not require exceptions,” he said.

Authorities received several requests to eradicate the wolves, which were immediately evaluated.

“We demand the shooting of dangerous animals. Wolves don’t bother us in the forest, but they don’t destroy the forest, but they go to the villages and behave very non-standard,” explained the head of the Jablunkovska Community Association (SOJ). ) and mayor of Jablunkovsk Jiří Hamrozi (KDU-ČSL).

He admitted that he was disappointed with the office’s decision, according to him it was unilateral. That’s why SOJ wants to continue fighting against the wolves that cause mischief. “They don’t kill the sheep for food, but for fun,” he explained, noting that he also disagreed with conservationists’ claims that there were only five wolves in the area.

“Conservators also claim that wolf droppings indicate that only two percent of their diet is farm animals. What nonsense, after all, they killed a hundred sheep here this year alone. That has to be assessed by an independent expert,” he said.

The Sheep and Goat Farmers’ Association also wants to appeal against the rejection of the acquittal. “In our opinion, the decision is primarily based on analysis and documents from AOPK and the RAINBOW Movement. Our demands are not being heard,” Roman Cieślar, co-chairman of the 2nd trade union and breeder from Bystřice, told Práv.

According to Aleš Cwik of the Jablunków City Hall Department of Environment and Agriculture, wolves attacked Jablunkovska this year from April 21, when the first attack occurred, in nearly six dozen cases where they killed 130 sheep. Another sheep was strangled by a wild animal in Třinek.

According to one of the sheep breeders, Jiří Pivec from Bukovec, two herds and one wolf are already operating in the region. Even Pivec believes officials’ decision not to allow individual shootings was wrong.

“Those who have harmed and harmed do not behave in a standard way. They go to the village center even in broad daylight,” explained the breeder, who lost 13 sheep and several lambs this year. “We have baskets, double nets, but unfortunately the wolves are gradually learning to handle them,” he sighed.

While sheep farmers, the mayor, and many Jablunkovskogo residents resented the official’s decision, conservationists welcomed it.

“In my opinion, the office made a fair decision within the meaning and spirit of the Natural Landscape Protection Act. Actually, he has to admit that other public interests do not outweigh the interests of protected nature,” said Miroslav Kutal of Hnuti DUHA Šelma, adding that he considers it significant that in 44 of the 46 attacks investigated, herds did not even have minimum safety standards.

And AOPK sees it as similar. “We understand that it is difficult for ranchers to see animals being attacked by large animals. Both are important to our landscape: both farm animals, which help maintain them, and wolves, which contribute to the regulation of hoofed abundance that causes significant damage to farmers and foresters,” the summary concludes. AOPK spokesperson Karolína Šůlová.