Wolves in Carinthia: Two new packs provide excitement and discussion!
Wolves in Carinthia: Two new packs provide excitement and discussion!
The wolf population in Europe has almost doubled in the past ten years: from around 12,000 to over 21,500 animals. This alarming increase is attributed to strict protection of the wolf within the EU, which also has noticeable effects in Austria. According to statements by , the number of genetically proven wolves in Austria rose from 8 in 2015 to 104 in 2023. This emerges from a current study that analyzed data from 34 countries.
In Austria, the development of the wolf population was carefully pursued by the responsible authorities. In the past two years there have been a total of 16 official kills of wolves, which re -losing the discussion about the management of this species. In December 2024, the protection of the wolves was slightly relaxed, which met with positive echo in both the farmers and in the Ministry of Agriculture.
new packs and sightings
The reports on new wolf views in Carinthia are particularly striking. In 2024, two new packs were documented by wild cameras: one at Lake Wolayer and the other in the Karawanken Koschuta area. A third, already known pack in the East Tyrolean border area, has also been proven again. Martin Balluch, animal rights activist and critic of current politics, describes the formation of these new packs as a success and calls for a nationwide wolf monitoring. He also has a sharp criticism of the responsibility of a hunter for nature conservation in Carinthia.
The increase in wolf population becomes clear not only in Carinthia, but also in the Waldviertel in Lower Austria, where four wolf packs now live with confirmed offspring. These changes are part of a broader resettlement history that has taken place in the past 30 years. Before the wolf was exterminated in Western Europe in the 19th century, it was spread over the entire north hemisphere. In Austria the last wolf had already been shot in 1882.
challenges and perspectives
The increase in wolf population not only represents an opportunity, but also a challenge. Farmers complain of damage from wolves, since they are increasingly also being found in urban areas. An example of this is a wolf with the identifier 304 MATK, which was spotted in Kaltenleuten in November 2023 after torn several sheep.
The re -settlement of the wolf in Austria is not without setbacks. According to wwf there was between two and seven proven wolves per year between 2009 and 2015 before the youngsters were recorded for the first time in 2016. The wolf has spread slower over the past 20 years than in other European countries, such as Germany or Switzerland. Nevertheless, the current figures for nature conservation represent a significant success.
according to baer-wolf-luchs.at The spread of wolf in Europe is also due to various factors, including the return of forests and changes in agriculture. Wolves are capable of hiking and can reach areas over 1,000 kilometers from their source population. The origins of the re -settlement of the wolves in Austria date back into the period between 2009 and 2015, and the first pack of packs began in Allenssteig in 2016.
In summary, it can be seen that the wolf in Europe and especially in Austria must be regarded both as a successful nature conservation project and as a challenge for agriculture. The need for stable management and effective monitoring is therefore undisputed.| Details | |
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| Ort | Kärnten, Österreich |
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