Predator on island - Nationalpark administration: Wolf still on Norderney
More than one and a half months after the first sighting of a wolf on Norderney, the Niedersaächsisches Wattenmeer National Park Administration assumes that the animal is still on the North Sea island. In early and mid-July, there were four more recordings of the wolf from wildlife cameras, as Thea Hamm, biologist with the National Park Administration in Wilhelmshaven, informed the German Press Agency on request. A cyclist has also reported a reliable observation, but without photographic evidence. The most recent confirmed sighting is from a wildlife camera on July 15. Although this sighting is already several days old, it is still assumed that the animal is still on the island.
At the end of June, the National Park Administration announced that for the first time a wolf had been discovered on a Lower Saxony North Sea island. A wildlife camera had photographed the wolf on June 6 and then again on June 20. Experts later confirmed that it was a wolf. The animal was then detected again using the thermal camera of a drone in the rest area of the national park.
Young pack member has traveled a long way back
It is now clear where the wolf originally comes from. A hair sample, which was DNA tested, revealed that the wolf came from a pack in Belgium. The young wolf was born there last year. It is known that wolves travel long distances in search of a new territory. According to the National Park Administration, young wolves can run up to 80 kilometers a day.
Recently, it was speculated how the wolf could have found its way to the North Sea island. Hunters and experts of the national park assume that the animal crossed the Watt at low tide from the mainland to the island. They consider it possible that the animal could also leave the island in this way. Wolves have been on the move along the Lower Saxony coast for a long time.
Hamm further stated that, given the multiple day breaks between the sightings in early and mid-July, it is theoretically possible that the Norderney wolf could also be pendeling between land and island. There are no reports of approaches to livestock or humans. Therefore, there is currently no need to prepare for trapping or shooting the animal. "The wolf's appearance in the rest area of the Norderney National Park on a natural basis is in line with the protection principles in the national park," Hamm added further.
Wolves are strictly protected under nature conservation law. Only in exceptional cases can authorities grant capture or shooting permits. Possible wolf sightings should continue to be reported to the National Park Administration.
- The sighting of a wolf on Norderney has stirred interest in wildlife ecology and tourism across Germany.
- The presence of the wolf in Wilhelmshaven's Niedersaächsisches Wattenmeer National Park has challenged traditional perceptions about the species' distribution in Germany.
- The German Press Agency has been actively covering the story, highlighting the potential impact of the wolf on local wildlife and wildlife cameras.
- The detection of a predator like a wolf on Norderney has raised questions about its impact on the diverse wildlife population in the North Sea.
- Some experts argue that the arrival of wolves could promote a healthier ecosystem, as they help control the population of herbivores like deer.
- Wolves, being apex predators, play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of nature and maintaining healthy ecosystems.
- The Norderney wolf's journey to Germany exemplifies the widespread impact of climate change and habitat fragmentation on wildlife migration patterns.
- The German government has been closely monitoring the situation, considering its implications for wildlife conservation, agricultural practices, and public safety in Lower Saxony.
