Local resident shocked as evidence suggests wolves were fed by humans in Oksbøl

A new report suggests wolves in the Oksbøl area of Denmark may have been deliberately fed by humans, altering their natural behaviour and raising safety concerns, DR reports.

A 14-year-old girl was followed by a wolf in January while walking home from a local sports hall, prompting her to film the encounter and call her mother, Dina Puggaard. The wolf, which showed no fear of humans, approached the girl closely before she reached safety.

“She said, ‘Mom, I’ve seen a wolf.’ I was completely shocked,” Puggaard told DR. “The wolf wasn’t afraid—she was. That’s what shocks me, and I think it’s very foolish.”

A report from DCE – National Centre for Environment and Energy at Aarhus University concludes that the wolves’ unusual behaviour, including approaching humans, strongly indicates they have been fed. Wolves are typically wary of people, but feeding can make them associate humans with food.

“I’m shocked that someone would do this,” Puggaard said. “The wolf won’t find it unpleasant to enter a town if it’s being fed there.”

While the report states there is no immediate risk of wolf attacks, it warns that the animals’ behaviour in Oksbøl requires intervention. Puggaard welcomed the findings, noting that many locals now avoid the forest due to fear of encounters.

Other residents interviewed by DR had mixed views on wolves but agreed that feeding them poses a serious problem.