Danish authorities have scaled up the effort to shoot a so-called problem wolf in West Jutland after an attempt on Monday failed. Two drones with thermal cameras are now part of the operation.
The Danish Nature Agency, Naturstyrelsen, came close to shooting the animal on Monday, August 10, DR reports. Since the attempt failed, more resources were added to the search on Tuesday, August 11.
Minister for Nature and Animal Welfare Christian Rabjerg Madsen (Social Democrats) said three people were on the ground during Monday’s attempt. According to his account to DR, another drone would be sent up on Tuesday evening, giving the operation access to two drones with thermal cameras.
The animal being tracked is the same wolf that entered three private gardens in the area last week, DR reports. On Monday evening, a wolf was also seen moving around close to a family restaurant in the same part of West Jutland, according to a companion report from DR.
Rabjerg Madsen said he will only be satisfied once this particular wolf has been shot. As reported by DR, he described Monday’s video footage as not amounting to a dangerous situation, but said such encounters create a feeling of insecurity.
Minister points to real-time reports
The minister said the episodes limit people’s freedom, because residents avoid doing what they normally do. He said he therefore takes the case extremely seriously, per DR’s reporting.
Asked why the agency cannot simply turn up and shoot an animal that is being filmed by many cameras, the minister said that is exactly what is being done. According to his statement to DR, Naturstyrelsen receives reports in real time and acts on them promptly.
Rabjerg Madsen also praised the many people who are currently submitting sightings to the authorities. He said those reports were the reason the agency came close to the wolf on Monday, DR reports.
DR is covering the case as part of its news theme on wolves in Denmark in 2026. The broadcaster is also running a live blog on the drone-assisted search in West Jutland.
Naturstyrelsen has not published a separate statement on the intensified operation in the material available. The specific location of the search in West Jutland was not named in DR’s report, which refers to the area around the family restaurant and the three private gardens.
In its earlier coverage on August 9, DR reported that experts assessed the wolf had shown no intention of attacking. The same day, the broadcaster reported criticism from Danmarksdemokraterne, which called on the minister to act.
