Three wolves struck by a vehicle and killed near Hoge Veluwe national park

Three wolves were hit and killed by a car on the N310 near Otterlo on Thursday morning. The police are investigating whether the animals were killed by accident or whether intent was at play, a spokesperson told Omroep Gelderland.

The accident happened at around 6:00 a.m. on the provincial road that runs along De Hoge Veluwe National Park. The police did not say whether the three wolves were killed in one collision or separate collisions. It is also unclear what vehicle was involved or whether any arrests have been made.

The police are investigating what happened. Because wolves are a protected species, the police investigate all traffic incidents involving wolves. The Facebook page Geen wolf in cultuurlandschap, which translates to “No wolf in cultural landscape,” posted photos of the police placing closing the road around the cadaver of a small wolf for investigation.

Forest ranger Frank Theunissen told Omroep Gelderland that the wolves were likely three cubs from a wolf pack living on the Zuidwest Veluwe. Earlier this week, Theunissen posted a video of this pack with nine cubs on X.

Wolven van de ZW Veluweroedel. Voorop de ouderdieren. Als eerste de reu, dan de wolvin en een jaarling en vervolgens 9 welpen. pic.twitter.com/HI72ZXSEHM

— Frank Theunissen (@ftheunissen3) September 25, 2024

On Thursday, the EU countries ratified the intention to lower the wolf’s protected status, ANP reported. According to a statement from the EU countries, the wolf has “successfully recovered on the European continent,” and the wolf population has doubled in the past decade, from over 11,000 in 2012 to around 20,000 last year. The animal is, therefore, no longer “strictly protected” but “protected,” which gives more options for hunting and culling wolves.