By Dr. Douglas Sears (Young Leader ’00), Associate Provost, Boston University
Swiss television this spring and summer has focused, of course, on Swiss-US relations (strained), Swiss-Libyan relations (very strained), Swiss-German relations (strained), the economy (strained), and the pressing discussion about who will replace the retiring Federal Councilor Pascal Couchepin.
But, interestingly, the animal kingdom seemed to draw the attention of Swiss news gatherers.
Queen of Queens/Cowfight at the Aproz Corral
May 10, the Tagesschau ("daily show") reported on the annual cowfighting championship in Aproz, Canton Valais. Schweizer Fernsehen devoted a full 2 minutes and 42 seconds, a broadcast eternity for Americans, to the competition, featuring farmer Alain Ammann, whose fighting cow, Baronne (Number 60), a dark horse (so to speak) fought her way through to the finals, finishing fifth. Cowfights are not for underdogs. The winner of the 2009 title, "Reine des Reines" (Queen of Queens) was a monstrous, bullying ueber-cow named Manhattan.
Return of the Wolf/Briefly
In March and April, Tagesschau broadcasts reported on the return of the wolf to Switzerland, 200 years after its extermination. “Wolf zurück in der Schweiz” was the lead on April 15—a picture of the wolf was captured in a photo trap. The wolf was suspected of killing two sheep six weeks before. On August 3—and 27 sheep later—an intercantonal commission issued a death sentence for the wolf. After thoughtful deliberation and the failure of less drastic measures, the authorities regretfully authorized the demise of the wolf. “Wolf zum Abscuss frei . . . leider.” This story preceded reports on the Dalai Lama’s visit to Switzerland, the confirmation of Ahmadinejad’s victory in Iran, and Corzon Aquino’s death.
Breaking the Piggy Bank
On the August 7 domestic news show, Schweiz Aktuell, 53-year-old butcher, Peter Tobler lamented the theft of ten of his very expensive pigs from their alpine pen in Grabserberg, Canton St. Gallen. Mr. Tobler and the cantonal police officer assigned to the case theorized that the theft was the work of professionals—the police officer shaking his head in rueful admiration at the skill required to make off with a 120 kilo live sow—let alone ten--“nicht ganz einfach”—not exactly simple.
Imperial Crawdads
And finally, the invasion of the crayfish. “Jagd auf Signalkrebs” Schweiz Aktuell, July 9. Basel fish and game officers are engaged in an escalating war with the “signal” crayfish—a bullying crayfish from North America taking over the habitat of the “Dohlenkrebs”—the domestic variant. The news anchor described the “intruder” from America as bigger, stronger, and more aggressive than the domestic crayfish. Not only was the invader eating the local crayfish out of house and home, it carried an insidious illness to which it was immune—but which was fatal to the domestic crayfish population. For two years fish and game officers have been fighting an escalating war with the signal crayfish. Daniel Zopfi, a fisheries officer, described for viewers the ways in which the intruders have found their way to Switzerland and his efforts to capture and remove them from Swiss waters. The Basel cantonal veterinarian, Ignaz Bloch, spoke of the need for more drastic measures.
Curiously, the same evening, Tagesschau carried a detailed report on the escalation of the war of words between Washington and Bern, as the Department of Justice demanded names of UBS account holders and Bern forbade UBS from releasing the same names. Coincidence?