The Utrecht wolves
Since last year, a complete wolves lives in a territory that extends around the Leusderheide throughout the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. A Wolvenmannetje and a Wolvin received five cubs at the end of April. One of those cubs drove to Leersum in the fall. We know through wildlife cameras and traces that the other six wolves are still on the Heuvelrug. They eat wildly there and if they get the chance, farm animals such as sheep.
There are indications that a wandering Wolvin stayed around the Utrecht rowel last summer and autumn. She killed sheep in Langbroek, Hoogland and Utrecht and her DNA remained in a Keutel that was found in Soest in October.
In recent years, several people have reported ‘encounters’ with wolves, with the most discussed incidents of the involvement of a small dog on the Treek, the confrontation with a BSO-Kind on the Treek, the falling of a girl approaching a dog and an incident in the autumn that he said he was on the road between Scherpenzeel and Amersfoort. Several lectures of these incidents are in circulation.
The wolf is a strictly protected species. Although the EU has recently reduced protection status, it will take long before the laws and rules in Europe and the Netherlands have been adjusted accordingly. The provinces are currently working on a new wolf plan. An earlier version was postponed last fall, among other things to take the government measures. It must soon become clear whether the provincial drivers have agreed on the new plan. Important themes are information about living together with the wolf and the adequate protection of cattle.
More articles in our file De Wolf.