A petition to deal with the nuisance wolves cause was presented to the House of Representatives by deputies from Drenthe and Gelderland, in the Hague yesterday.
The “Limits to the Wolf” petition, calls for a clearer policy, facilitated population control, and collaboration with neighbouring countries regarding the hunting status of wolves.
This comes as concerns have grown over increased wolf attacks on livestock. Between 2015 and December of 2023, wolves killed 1,085 sheep and goats, 28 cattle, and 7 horses, according to the province of Drenthe. In 2023 alone, 434 goats and sheep were killed.
The petition is led by two members of the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB), Egbert van Dijk and Harold Zoet, deputies at the local government in Drenthe and Gelderland respectively, two of the regions most impacted by the presence of wolves.
Despite the support from multiple provinces and municipalities, the protected status of the wolf is determined at the European Union level. It is still unclear what the position of the Netherlands is on the matter. Drenthe’s and Gelderland’s petition explicitly calls on the government in Brussels to promote the reduction of wolves’ protective status.
Issues regarding the presence of wolves are to be further discussed tomorrow by the Dutch Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality Committee.
In July, a farmer in Drenthe was attacked by a wolf after trying to defend his livestock from the animal.
