‘Problem wolf’ that runner bite in Hoge Veluwe may be shot, the court judges

The province of Gelderland may shoot the so -called ‘problem wolf’ on the Hoge Veluwe. That has the Court in Arnhem Friday afternoon decided. Animal organizations Animal Rights, the fauna protection and Fauna4Life had brought the case after the province had issued a permit for killing this wolf.

Last April the relevant ‘problem wolf’ bit a passing runner in the Veluwe. The province spoke of a « security risk » because the wolf would show « deviant behavior »: according to the province, the animal is not shy and, even after the bite incident, it comes close. Alternative measures to chase away the wolf – closing the National Park, administering a pain stimulus and the expiration of the animal – would have had no effect.

Animal organizations objected, but according to the preliminary relief judge there are « no less far -reaching alternatives to prevent future safety incidents with this wolf ». When dealing with the case last Friday, it became insufficiently clear which wolf would be. That is why the ruling was postponed. The judge believes that the province has now made this sufficiently plausible, and considers it ‘necessary’ because of ‘public safety’ to be able to shoot the animal.

Animal Rights: ‘Judge quotes Wolf on’

In a first reaction to the statement, Animal Rights says it is ‘furious’. The judge « Offers De Wolf to be assured that she cannot be accused of any new incident, » the organization writes NRC. « This judge has ratified the death sentence and we can now only hope that the wolf will not show itself. » The fauna protection speaks of A « black day for the wolves in the Netherlands ».

The ‘problem wolf’ in the Veluwe is not chipped, but according to the province the right animal can be shot based on external characteristics and visual material of the bite incident. Gelderland has been watching the wolvenroedel there for some time. Earlier, the province already granted a permit to be able to chase wolves with paintball guns, but that proposal always encountered objections to the court.

Last week the European Parliament ruled that The protective status of the wolf is lowered; From ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected’. This means that more slope permits will be granted for wolves that cause problems in the future.

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