ABSTRACT
This chapter examines diverging conceptions of Alpine nature and culture regarding their political consequences for humans and wolves. It provides a five-step examination of the polarised debate. The first step consists of a historical outline of the changing relationships and encounters between human beings and wolves. The second step discusses how the return of the wolves to Oberwallis is framed as an urban–rural conflict. The third step describes various assumptions about the hunting behaviour of wolves and the ramifications of this for biodiversity and, respectively, biosecurity in Oberwallis. The fourth step focuses on possible measures taken towards the presence of wolves which, in different worlds, appear legitimate for governing wolves. In the fifth step, the constitution of Oberwallis is discussed as a political entity whose population is resolutely against the presence of wolves and who should be politically represented, respectively.
