Danmarksdemokraterne said Friday that it wants hunters across all of Jutland to be allowed to shoot so-called problem wolves without applying for permission. The proposal follows three wolf incidents in Nørre Nebel on August 5.
The party’s animal welfare spokesperson, Kim Edberg Andersen, presented the proposal to DR Nyheder. He wants the current regulation zones, where problem wolves may be shot, extended to cover the entire Jutland peninsula. Anyone holding a hunting license should be able to shoot a problem wolf without first seeking approval, he said.
Under the current system, private individuals must apply for permission to shoot a problem wolf inside a regulation zone. Andersen told DR that this step should be removed. He said hunters should instead receive a brochure explaining what counts as problematic wolf behavior, and then be permitted to shoot wolves showing that behavior.
According to DR, all three incidents in Nørre Nebel took place on August 5 within a short span of time. A wolf approached children playing in private gardens, and officials believe the same animal was behind each episode. A new regulation zone was subsequently created at Nørre Nebel, geographically adjoining an already active zone at Oksbøl, where problem wolves have been observed previously.
Hunt underway in the zone
DR reports that Naturstyrelsen, the Danish Nature Agency, is currently hunting the wolf inside the regulation zone. Private individuals may also apply for permission to shoot it. Wolves are protected under an EU directive, which places significant limits on how the species may be regulated.
The Copenhagen Post adds that the new regulation zone extends to Hvide Sande, and that thermal drones are being used to locate the animal. Those details do not appear in DR’s account, which instead describes the zone as created near Nørre Nebel alongside the existing Oksbøl zone. Both outlets describe the same series of incidents in West Jutland.
Andersen argued that his party’s proposal is about public safety. He told DR that the more wolves arrive in Denmark, the more often such episodes will occur, and that immediate regulation of problem wolves would provide reassurance. He also said he finds it notable that a large predator receives special protection despite potentially being dangerous to people.
Asked by DR how authorities would avoid shooting wolves that pose no problem if all of Jutland became a regulation zone, Andersen responded that the existing zones offer no such guarantee either. He questioned how anyone ensures the correct wolf is shot under the current rules.
Danmarksdemokraterne has previously stated its position on wolf management on several occasions, DR notes. Debate over rising wolf numbers has accompanied earlier changes to the country’s wolf management plan.
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