Wild animal management

Large predators - wolf, bear and lynx - are slowly spreading again, but are still absent in many areas, including the Thayatal National Park. As a result, the natural balance between forest and game suffers. Humans have to compensate for this.

That is why the Thayatal National Park, like any other protected area, keeps a close eye on its game population. It is not hunted in the traditional sense, but is "regulated”. This is done with the aim of preserving the wildlife that naturally lives here as well as its habitat. The one must not get out of hand at the expense of the other.
Wild boar, for example, are an important part of our forests because they churn up the forest floor and thus contribute to the natural regeneration of trees. However, if too many of them are active in the forest and on the dry grasslands and meadows over a longer period of time, this positive effect can become a negative. Constant rooting around prevents young plants from growing at all. The wild boar population and the desired vegetation must therefore be kept in balance.

The National Park creates fenced-in comparison areas in order to determine this delicate balance as accurately as possible. They show how well the vegetation develops without the influence of game. On the basis of this data, it can then be determined how much "regulation” is needed. Hunting regulation takes place on only a few set days each year in order to minimise disturbance for all animals.


Important measures for wildlife management:

  • Game feeding as is common in hunting management does not exist in the Thayatal National Park.
  • Lead ammunition is not used.
  • Game populations are subject to ongoing monitoring.
  • In addition to wild boars, non-native animal species that have a negative impact on the ecosystem are also regulated in the Thayatal National Park. This is currently the case with mouflon.
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