Grazing animals killed in wolf attack - "We've never had this before"

Animals - Grazing animals killed in wolf attack - "We've never had this before"

Several sheep and goats have fallen victim to a wolf attack near Drei Gleichen (Gotha district). The Thuringian Farmers' Association spoke of 25 animals killed on Monday. A further 11 died as a result of the stress in the affected herd. "We've never had an attack like this before," said a spokesperson. Several animals had been completely eaten. Consequential damage in the form of stillbirths is to be expected.

The Thuringian Ministry of the Environment spoke of a major wolf attack at the end of November. Presumably several wolves were involved. On the same day, eight dead and eight injured animals were recorded with the shepherd on site. There was a follow-up report on Monday and the competence center is still in contact with the farm concerned.

Protective fence or not?

The farmers' association complained that the attack took place despite the necessary pasture fencing and livestock guarding dogs. This shows that wolves can overcome even the most extensive protective measures. According to the Ministry of the Environment, however, evidence suggests that a pack of wild boars may have destroyed the fence shortly before the attack. Just a few days ago, the environment ministers of the federal states agreed to speed up the culling of problematic wolves that have scaled protective fences and killed livestock.

Regarding the attack in Drei Gleichen, Thuringia's State Secretary for the Environment, Burkhard Vogel, said that the case needed to be looked at closely: "Presumably, the herd was not optimally protected, which is why this attack was possible." In general, there is a need for comprehensible standards for dealing with wolves that cross protective fences throughout Germany. "In these cases, we advocate a quicker cull."

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1. The BMU has expressed concern over the increasing number of wolf attacks on livestock in the agrarian districts of Thuringia, such as the recent incident in the district of Gotha where several sheep and goats were killed by wolves.
2. The Thuringian government is considering implementing stricter measures to protect livestock from wolf attacks, including the possibility of removing problematic wolves that have scaled protective fences and killed animals, as stated by Thuringia's State Secretary for the Environment, Burkhard Vogel.
3. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMU) has provided funding to support Thuringian farmers in dealing with the risk of wolf attacks, as wolf populations continue to expand across Germany.
4. The Thuringian Farmers' Association has called for increased support from the government to help farmers protect their livestock from wolf attacks, including the deployment of livestock guarding dogs and the installation of more extensive protective fences.

Source: www.stern.de