Groups urge minister to close wolf breeding zones to the public

Organisations are calling for protected breeding zones where people would be barred from entering while wolves raise their young, DR reports. The proposal has been sent to Denmark’s minister for nature and animal welfare after a wolf showed its teeth at a jogger in northern Jutland.

Wolf pups are typically born in early May, usually in litters of five or six. Wolf families then tend to remain in the same area for several months rather than roaming across large distances.

Foreningen Ulvens og Naturens Vogtere, an organisation advocating wolf and nature protection, wants specific summer breeding zones established for the animals. Rangers would monitor the areas, and people who entered despite the restrictions could face sanctions or fines, said the organisation’s chair, Esther Holzendorff.

“It is a very vulnerable period for the wolves, so they need peace. We also want to minimise the risk of conflicts like the one we saw in northern Jutland,” Holzendorff said.

The incident took place in Bunken dune plantation, where an adult wolf reportedly tried to protect its pup from a jogger. Signs have since been put up recommending that people stay away from the area, but the organisation says there should be an outright ban.

Experts support protected zones

Dyrenes Beskyttelse, an animal welfare organisation, also said recently that special wolf breeding zones would be a good idea.

Wolf researcher and professor Peter Sunde has previously said that protecting wolves during the breeding period could prevent them and their pups from becoming accustomed to people.

Senior researcher Kent Olsen, who leads the monitoring of wolves in Denmark, agrees in principle. He cautions, however, that access restrictions must be enforced. Otherwise, marking a wolf territory on a map could attract more visitors interested in seeing a wolf.

From the wolves’ perspective, breeding areas should be closed from around April 20 until either July 1 or August 1, Olsen said. This is the period when the animals need the most peace.

Different views in Ålbæk

In the northern Jutland town of Ålbæk, near Bunken dune plantation, residents disagree over whether the area should be completely closed while the wolves are breeding.

“I think it is nonsense, because I do not believe the wolf will do anything,” said local resident Frank Nielsen.

Kim Michael Jakobsen took a different view. “Nature must also be available for people, but we must remember that the animals were here long before us,” he said.

Holzendorff said people must give wolves space, even if that means limiting their own access to nature.

“We must learn to coexist with the wild nature that is returning, but we must do so sensibly,” she said.

Minister for nature and animal welfare Christian Rabjerg Madsen was unavailable for an interview. In a written response, he said the government did not expect the incident at Bunken dune plantation to be repeated elsewhere. He added that he was willing to discuss whether people should be advised against entering other areas where wolves are breeding and said he remained in regular contact with authorities and wolf experts.