Authorities recommend children under 10 avoid unaccompanied walks in Danish wolf areas

Local officials and tourism operators in southwestern Denmark are criticising authorities for failing to properly inform visitors about safety recommendations linked to a wolf presence in the region, DR reports.

The Danish Agency for Green Transition and Water Environments has advised that children under 10 should not walk alone in natural areas near Oksbøl, Vejers, and Blåvand due to the risk of unsettling encounters with wolves. However, the recommendation has not been effectively communicated to tourists or local businesses, according to Mogens Plauborg, owner of CamperBase camping site in Oksbøl.

“I haven’t heard about this recommendation,” Plauborg said. “It’s essential that our guests are informed. They shouldn’t be scared away, but they need to know what the advice is.”

Varde Municipality’s mayor, Sarah Andersen, echoed the criticism, stating that local authorities lack clear guidance on what to communicate. “In Varde, this isn’t a guessing game. We need precise instructions on what applies, where, and how. We’ve repeatedly contacted the agency without getting answers,” Andersen said.

The agency confirmed in a written statement that it had shared the recommendation at a public meeting on March 12 and later notified Varde Municipality. However, it declined an interview, citing the absence of a sitting government.

Tourist Benjamin Gehlken from Hamburg, visiting Oksbøl for the Ascension Day holiday, also stressed the need for better information. “Even though wolves are becoming normal in nature—we have them in Germany too—it’s reassuring to be informed, especially when it concerns children,” he said.

The agency maintains that the wolves in the area pose no direct threat to humans, despite the precautionary advice for children.