Wolves in Lower Saxony: protection or problem? New numbers shock pet owners!

Wolves in Lower Saxony: protection or problem? New numbers shock pet owners!

There has been a significant increase in the wolf population in Lower Saxony. There are currently 55 wolf packs, 3 wolf pairs and 3 protected individual wolves living there, making a total of 61 territories. According to estimates, Lower Saxony is home to around 600 wolves, although the number of animals is constantly changing. These figures were announced by the Lower Saxony State Hunting Association, which is responsible for monitoring wolves. The monitoring takes place over a period of one year, which runs from May 1st to April 30th of the following year.

In the wolf year 2023/2024, 283 attacks by wolves on livestock were recorded. Despite increased financial resources to improve the protection of grazing animals, damage has increased. According to the Ministry of the Environment, 1,412 grazing animals lost their lives to wolf attacks in 2023. 803 animals had to be euthanized due to the injuries they sustained. What is striking is that although the number of wolf attacks is higher compared to previous years, the number of affected wolf packs has not increased.

Challenges in protecting farm animals

The challenges faced by sheep and livestock farmers are significant. Experts suspect that there are two main reasons for the increased number of livestock deaths. On the one hand, many owners have adapted better to the threat of wolves by protecting their herds with special fences and livestock guard dogs. On the other hand, many incidents may go unreported, especially if there is a suspicion that the animals were not adequately protected.

The “Wolf Guideline” of the state of Lower Saxony assesses the protection status of farm animals. It has been shown that in only 14 percent of the attacks there was adequate protection, while in 51 percent of the cases there was insufficient protection. This data raises questions about the effectiveness of existing protective measures.

When animals are killed by wolves, farmers receive compensation. These vary greatly and depend on the type and value of the animals. A calf can be worth around 160 euros, while particularly high-quality animals, such as pregnant dairy cows, can fetch over 10,000 euros at auction. However, the financial compensation payments are subject to conditions. Farm animals must be protected by fences in order to claim compensation.

The legal framework and protection status of the wolf

The wolf enjoys strict protection status in Germany because it was exterminated in the past. It is forbidden to kill wolves unless they are problem wolves that have already come into conflict with agriculture. One such event took place in Heidekreis on April 27, 2016, when the first official wolf was shot since his return to Lower Saxony. On October 13, 2023, another wolf was killed in the Hanover region.

At the European level, 27 member states have decided that the protection status of the wolf should be relaxed. This decision provides for the status to be changed from “strictly protected” to “protected”. This would make it possible not only to hunt individual animals, but also to enable regulated hunting of the entire population. The idea is to create a cap on the population in designated regions.

But the question remains as to how hunting affects the number of livestock killed. A study from the USA suggests that the number of animals killed could even increase if wolves are shot. These findings are based on data from states with a significantly lower population density than Germany. In contrast, a study from Slovakia, where wolves are allowed to be hunted, did not produce clear results regarding the number of livestock deaths.

According to the nature conservation association NABU, the possibility of removing wolves also includes capturing animals. In practice, however, such measures rarely take place. The responsible nature conservation authorities can authorize such removals in individual cases, but must always keep the specific circumstances and the population of the animals in mind.

The discussion about wolves in Lower Saxony remains very topical. Balancing the protection of wolves and the protection of livestock presents a complex challenge that can affect both livestock owners and environmentalists. The coming months are likely to be crucial in clarifying how to deal with the growing wolf population, while balancing the interests of agriculture. Further information on this topic is available www.ndr.de.