Researchers propose using paintballs to deter bold wolves in Denmark

Danish researchers have suggested using paintball guns, water hoses, and rubber bullets to deter wolves that approach humans too closely, a proposal supported by animal welfare group Dyrenes Beskyttelse but questioned by wolf protection advocates, DR reports.

A new report by two wolf researchers at Aarhus University examines incidents where wolves—particularly young males—have exhibited unusually bold behavior near humans. The study suggests this may stem from the animals associating people with food, leading to a loss of natural caution.

Peter Sunde, a professor at the university’s Department of Ecoscience, argues that systematic “mobbing” could reverse this behavior by teaching wolves to link humans with negative experiences. “We need to make them associate people with something unpleasant,” Sunde said, proposing non-lethal deterrents like paintballs, water jets, or rubber projectiles.

Dyrenes Beskyttelse (Animal Protection Denmark) has endorsed the idea, framing it as a humane alternative to lethal control. “A paintball is better than a real bullet,” said Michael Carlsen, the group’s biology and fauna project leader. He warned that wolves too accustomed to humans risk being classified as “problem wolves” and shot, making deterrence a survival advantage for the animals.

Critics, however, doubt the plan’s feasibility. Thomas Mortensen of the volunteer group Ulveværnet (Wolf Guard) in Oksbøl called it “theoretical,” noting that authorities have struggled even to locate wolves slated for culling. “If the Nature Agency can’t find them for a regulated hunt, how will we with paintball guns?” he asked.

The researchers cite success in other European countries, where similar deterrence tactics have reduced wolf-human encounters. Their report stops short of recommending a single method, leaving decisions on mobbing, GPS tracking, or culling to authorities.

The proposal follows 13 documented cases in the Oksbøl area where wolves displayed persistent, difficult-to-deter behavior, including an April incident where a couple fired warning shots to scare off six wolves near their home.