Strife about the wolf - Aiwanger: Germany has the highest wolf density worldwide
In Germany, according to Bavaria's Economy Minister Hubert Aiwanger, Germany has the highest wolf density in the world. "Germany has around 2000 wolves, making it the country with the most wolves per square kilometer worldwide," said the Free Voter politician in Munich after a session of the Bavarian cabinet. However, this number cannot be verified.
Estimates from the Farmers' Association are even higher
Aiwanger's ministry clarified in response to a query that the number was based on an estimate, which in turn was based on an estimate from the German Farmers' Association. The Association put the wolf population for 2023/24 at a range of 1800 to 3300 animals.
Responsible for recording wolf populations in Germany is the Documentation and Consulting Office of the Federal Government on the Wolf - no absolute numbers are mentioned there, but rather information on individual animals, litters, and packs and the territories they claim is provided. For 2022/23, 185 packs, 45 pairs, and 22 individual animals are listed, while for 2023/24, the list appears very preliminary with 78 packs, eight pairs, and seven individual animals.
Wolf expert: Aiwanger's numbers deviate significantly from the federal monitoring figures
"The numbers given by Aiwanger deviate by more than double from the monitoring figures of the Federal Government," said Uwe Friedel, wolf expert at the Bund Naturschutz. It is true that the wolf density in Germany is among the highest worldwide. "The density per square area does not result from the size of the country, but from the food supply. And since we also lead the world in red deer density, there are more wolves per square area. Mr. Aiwanger, as a hunter, should know that wild density neither for the red deer nor for the wolf depends on the population density."
From Aiwanger's perspective, the Federal Government should immediately determine the favorable conservation status and thus enable hunting. Currently, wolves in Germany enjoy strict protection, both domestically and under EU law. For Aiwanger, this is unacceptable, as he argues that the population increases by around 30% per year.
Call for more herd protection for livestock farmers
Friedel sees it quite differently: The wolf density in Germany is not decisive for dealing with the animals; rather, it is crucial to protect them: "If Mr. Aiwanger presents hunting as a solution for livestock farmers, he is putting them in an open dangerous situation. The Norwegian example should serve as a warning: A wolf there kills 40 times more sheep than in Sweden. In both countries, wolves are hunted, but in Sweden, herd protection is practiced, while the sheep in Norway are in free pasture. This shows clearly: Herd protection comes before anything else."
Regarding the announcement of the state government to reintroduce the invalidated wolf regulation, Riedel reminded of the very low wolf density in Bavaria's Alpine regions: "At the moment, we only have a single individual in the Allgäu and a wolf pair at Lake Staffelsee." The wolf regulation should make it possible for wolves to be taken out more quickly, even if it is not proven that a wolf has killed livestock.
The chairman of Bund Naturschutz, Richard Mergner, responds relatively calmly to the new version: "The Bavarian State Government is running headlong into the next legal pitfall. It is clear that if it really comes to that, we will most likely sue again. The fact that the old regulation was only struck down due to a formal error does not make it any less problematic in content."
- In a response to questions, Hubert Aiwanger's Cabinet revealed that the estimated wolf population number they used was obtained from the German Farmers' Association.
- During a session in Munich, Bavaria's Economy Minister Hubert Aiwanger stated that Germany has the highest wolf density globally, with around 2000 wolves.
- A conflict arose over the accurate wolf population count in Germany, with estimates from the Farmers' Association exceeding those provided by the Cabinet.
- Wolf expert Uwe Friedel noted that the numbers provided by Aiwanger significantly deviate from the federal monitoring figures, despite Germany having one of the highest wolf densities worldwide.
- The Swedish example was brought up in debate, highlighting how herd protection for livestock farmers is crucial for reducing conflicts with wolves, even in countries with high wolf densities.
- In Bavaria's Alpine regions, the wolf density is currently very low, with only a single individual in the Allgäu and a wolf pair at Lake Staffelsee.
