Denmark eases wolf shooting rules, sparking accusations of free hunting

Denmark is preparing to allow wolves to be shot anywhere in the country and at any time of day if they pose a threat to livestock, DR reports. Conservation and animal welfare organisations warn that the changes could make it too easy to kill wolves.

The new rules would allow people to shoot at a wolf if it enters an enclosure protected by a wolf-proof fence. They would also permit shooting when necessary to “avert an attack on livestock”, even if no fence is present.

The Danish Agency for Green Area Conversion and Water Quality expects the changes to take effect in mid-September.

However, people would not be allowed to shoot at wolves without restriction. Anyone seeking to prevent an attack on livestock would first have to fire a warning shot. If the wolf did not respond, they could then shoot at it.

Under the new rules, prior permission would no longer be required, whether the shooting took place behind a wolf-proof fence or elsewhere. A wolf could be shot to prevent an attack on livestock, such as a hunting dog, provided a warning shot had first been fired.

Danmarks Naturfredningsforening, Denmark’s Nature Conservation Society, criticised the changes and said there was no need to create further opportunities to shoot wolves.

“The wolf is an endangered animal, and of course we have an obligation to take good care of it,” said Lars Midtiby, the organisation’s director.

Nature and Animal Welfare Minister Christian Rabjerg Madsen of the Social Democrats said the changes did not go too far and promised close monitoring of the rules.

“This is something we will monitor closely and continuously. That is also why I can say with conviction that this is not about free hunting of wolves. It is about controlling wolves if they become problem wolves,” he said.

Animal welfare organisation Dyrenes Beskyttelse identified two main problems with the rules. It said allowing a wolf to be shot as soon as it crossed a wolf-proof fence would undermine the purpose of such fences.

The organisation also said the rules failed to define how close an attack on livestock had to be before it could be stopped with gunfire. Michael Carlsen, a zoologist with Dyrenes Beskyttelse, said the wording could allow wolves to be shot in a range of circumstances based on subjective assessments.

The group Ulvetid also opposed the changes. Its chairman, Ole Pedersen, described them as “quite simply free hunting” because private individuals would make highly subjective decisions without authorities being involved.

Ulvetid said it would do everything possible to prevent the rules from taking effect and planned to file a complaint with the European Commission.

Christian Rabjerg Madsen said the changes comply with the European Union’s Habitats Directive.