According to a girl who was walking her 12-year-old dog, Bruno, in a beautiful woodland area in The Netherlands (the Strokelbos), her country is too small for the wolf. What she means is that The Netherlands has a high human density because it’s a small country with a relatively high human population. And therefore, there’s not really enough space for humans and wolves to get along without some incidents of conflict. There will be incidents as reported in this case.
This story is also about the conflicting objectives of the citizens of some countries and EU laws based on conservation which in this instance affords the wolf the highest level of protection. And also in this instance, I’m told that there are at least nine packs of wolves in The Netherlands after they crossed over from Germany in 2015. The number is expected to increase by a factor of five by the end of the decade.
The Netherlands is an animal loving nation but some citizens are horrified by this wolf attack on a dog in a beautiful woodland area. The attack happened a week ago. After the wolf attacked the dog, it circled the child and a walker who had gone to help.
Bruno was taken to hospital but died three days later. The wolf grabbed Bruno by the neck. Bruno managed to escape as the child, and another Walker tried to drive the wolf away. Geerte de Mos said that “The wolf had Bruno by his neck. I started shouting. He fought and escaped. Suddenly Bruno came running out of the bushes. He was covered in blood and wolf saliva. [The wolf] followed us at a distance of about 10 metres, walking in circles. The wolf kept looking at us.”
She believes that the Netherlands is too small to accommodate wolf packs. There is a call by some to change the EU laws protecting the wolf. A farming minister in the Populist-dominated Dutch government, Jean Rummenie, said that EU legislation is inappropriate for “the Dutch situation” as it prevents farmers or park keepers from using paint balls or pellets to chase away wolves or to shoot dangerous predators.
He believes that the chances of incidents such as the one described is greater in Holland than in other member states. They added, “We are a small and densely populated country. I will actively work for the reduction of the protected status of the wolf in Europe, so that we can live here safely.”
More: Wolf’s presence divides Europe. To cull or not to cull.
Wolf attacks in the Netherlands have increased in recent years due to the return of wolves to the country. The Netherlands had been wolf-free for over a century, but in the last decade, wolves have naturally re-established themselves, particularly in the eastern regions.
Here are some key points about wolf attacks, specifically on livestock, as wolves typically avoid humans:
- Livestock Attacks: Most wolf attacks in the Netherlands involve sheep. According to reports, in 2021, wolves were responsible for killing around 200 sheep in various regions, especially in the provinces of Drenthe and Gelderland.
- Human Attacks: There are no recorded instances of wolves attacking humans in the Netherlands. Wolves generally avoid human contact and are more interested in livestock.
- Wolf Population Growth: Wolves have started to establish small packs, with several sightings confirmed in 2021 and 2022. This population growth has led to more frequent livestock incidents.
The Dutch government has introduced measures like fencing and compensation schemes to help farmers protect their livestock and deal with the effects of the growing wolf population.
