A school in West Jutland has told parents that children under 10 should not walk alone, after repeated sightings of a problem wolf near Nørre Nebel.
Blåbjergskolen in Nørre Nebel sent the guidance to parents through the school platform Aula on Tuesday, August 11. School leader Lene Korsgaard told DR that pupils under 10 should not move around the area on their own. The advice also asks children to walk in groups and to sing while they walk.
According to DR, Korsgaard based the message on recommendations previously issued by Styrelsen for Grøn Arealomlægning og Vandmiljø. She said the mood among pupils and staff remained calm, and that her task was to help both groups feel safe during the school day. One pupil, seventh-grader Joshua Mehl, said the group rule had changed the school day slightly, but that he was not worried.
Wolf seen in gardens and near a restaurant
DR reports that a wolf entered three private gardens last week while children were present. This week it was seen walking close to a family restaurant a few kilometers from Nørre Nebel. That sighting on Tuesday led authorities to step up their efforts to locate and shoot the animal.
Politiken reports that authorities have been trying to find and shoot the wolf since August 7 without success, and that the operation has now been scaled up. Per Politiken, the minister said three people were on the ground and that an additional drone was being deployed. DR reports that extra personnel were added on Tuesday, along with another thermal drone.
Berlingske reports that Naturstyrelsen had still not found the animal, and described a search setup with two people, one operating a heat-seeking drone and one patrolling with a rifle. BT reports that Naturstyrelsen launched what it called an intensive effort over the weekend, using a thermal drone and an armed person on the ground.
Why the effort was escalated
Styrelsen for Grøn Arealomlægning og Vandmiljø stated that it created a new regulation zone for the wolf near Nørre Nebel and, for the first time, allowed Naturstyrelsen to use thermal drones to locate it. The agency said the zone followed several incidents on August 5, in which a wolf showed a lack of fear of humans, including children.
The agency also notes in its wolf guidance that wolves are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. Regulation is only possible under special conditions and with the agency’s permission, according to Styrelsen for Grøn Arealomlægning og Vandmiljø.
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