Dutch gov't relaxes rules for killing wolves without parliamentary approval

From this week, provinces can start issuing culling permits for problem wolves, and private individuals like farmers are allowed to deter the animals using lights and noise. The rules prepared for this by State Secretary Silvio Erkens (Agriculture, VVD) were finalized on Monday and will take effect on Tuesday. This is possible after the wolf was given a lower protection status in Europe.

The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, is scheduled to debate the wolf in September. Several parties in parliament do not want wolves to be shot at all.

Erkens already said two weeks ago that he does not consider it responsible to wait until after the summer to implement the new rules. “It is currently cub season, when wolves are at their most aggressive. And it coincides with the tourist season. Many people are entering nature reserves, so there are many concerns about potential incidents.

Provinces can prepare a permit to shoot and kill a “problem wolf,” allowing them to intervene more quickly, Erkens said. “Recently, a culling permit was issued for a wolf in the Veluwe. By the time it was granted, the wolf had already appeared in Germany.”

A problem wolf is designated as such if it exhibits undesirable and dangerous behavior. For example, if the animal attacks people or well-protected livestock.

In the longer term, Erkens wants to make it even easier to shoot wolves. This will be possible if the wolf, a protected species, gets a favorable conservation status in the Netherlands. According to the VVD State Secretary, this has already been achieved in Germany.

When that will happen in the Netherlands is currently being investigated. It could depend on a minimum number of wolves, among other things. If there are enough wolves in the Netherlands, Erkens would like to “pick out the most aggressive ones,” following the German example.

According to Erkens, the wolves in the Netherlands are part of the same population as in Germany. He therefore wants to make agreements with the eastern neighbors. “It is actually a bit strange that we are doing this at a national level.”