Danish politicians call for wolf culling or removal after pony attacks

Politicians from Denmark’s Venstre and Danmarksdemokraterne parties are pushing for stricter control of the country’s wolf population after two ponies were killed in attacks near Egtved, south of Vejle, within the past two weeks, reports DR.

Peder Hummelmose (Venstre), chair of Vejle Municipality’s Climate, Nature and Environment Committee, visited the site of the latest attack and argued that the state should issue permits for hunters to cull wolves annually.

“They’re getting too close now. These wolves are hungry—if they’re attacking livestock, what might be next?” Hummelmose said. “We need state-regulated annual quotas to keep their numbers in check. A few years ago, we had no wolves. That’s what we should return to.”

Danmarksdemokraterne’s animal welfare spokesperson, Kim Edberg Andersen, went further, advocating for the complete removal of wolves from Denmark. “We didn’t have them before, and we shouldn’t have them now,” he stated, suggesting that captured wolves could be relocated to other countries willing to take them.

Current Danish regulations allow wolves to be shot only if they have repeatedly breached secured enclosures to attack livestock. From July 2026, licensed hunters will be permitted to shoot wolves found inside secured enclosures without prior authorisation.

The Alternative party’s wolf policy spokesperson, Torsten Gejl, opposed culling, emphasising adaptation instead. “We must figure out how to coexist with wolves and prevent attacks on ponies and other animals,” he said, criticising political calls for culling as unrealistic under EU habitat directives. “Instead of false promises about shooting wolves, politicians should focus on solutions for peaceful coexistence.”

Denmark’s acting Minister for Green Transition, Jeppe Bruus (Social Democrats), has not responded to requests for comment. Wildlife authorities confirmed the latest pony’s death was caused by a wolf, based on bite marks.