Denmark plans DNA register for all wolves

Denmark will collect DNA from all its wolves and create an individual register to establish a more accurate population count, Nature and Animal Welfare Minister Christian Rabjerg Madsen told DR.

The latest count, from September, put the number of wolves in Denmark at 77, according to Ritzau. The minister said the population has so far been estimated by counting wolf packs and multiplying the total by seven, but he considers that method too imprecise. “We are completely sure there are far more wolves,” he said.

Madsen said a reliable count is needed to assess the population’s resilience, which he said is essential before hunting can be introduced. He wants the wolf population reduced to a minimum, and expects that once it has been granted favourable conservation status, hunting will be possible.

He said the DNA register would make it easier to manage the wolf population, protect livestock and ensure people’s safety.

The contract for DNA registration has gone out to tender, with a supplier expected to be selected in early 2027. Annual spending on wolf monitoring is set to rise from 1.25 million to 7.5 million kroner.