Dead wolf found along provincial road in Drenthe

The body of a dead wolf was found along the N371 near Hoogersmilde, Drenthe, the province said. It was discovered on Monday after apparently having been struck by a vehicle.

The sex of the animal was not immediately clear, and a more detailed investigation was expected to show if the animal was already known to authorities. About 20 wolves are believed to be present in the Netherlands, according to BIJ12, an interprovincial organization that tracks wildlife in the country, including wolves and golden jackals.

The wolf found on Monday will be taken to the Dutch Wildlife Health Center at Utrecht University, where an autopsy will be performed. The examination will attempt to determine the age of the animal and will also study its stomach contents. Along with scientists from Wageningen Environmental Research, they will also attempt to determine the animal’s health condition before it was killed.

Genetic material from the animal will also be examined. This can determine if the wolf was related to others in the Netherlands. It can also help track the movements of a wolf pack or lone wolves.

A dead male wolf was found on the A2 near Beesd, Gelderland, last Tuesday. It was the second dead wolf found along a roadway in the Netherlands in a week.

Wolves were also found dead on the A2 in Limburg in February and April, and others were found in Heerde, Gelderland, in September, near Apeldoorn in June, and in Ekenrooi last January. The bodies of 11 wolves have been found in the Netherlands over the last few years, according to BIJ12.

Last September, BIJ12 said it believed that at least 16 wolf cubs were born to four sets of adults last year. There may be at least 11 others wandering about in the north, east, and central regions of the country.