Controversial Topic Wolf: New Study to Facilitate Management

The topic of wolves repeatedly leads to discussions. While some want to preserve the habitat of the predator, others are concerned about the safety of people and livestock. To learn more about the native wolf, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku) in Vienna, commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, has for the first time assessed the conflict potential of the pack animal in Austria. The west and south of the country are particularly affected.

Conflict Topic: Wolves in Austria

There are 21,000 wolves in Europe, and the population has significantly increased in recent years after the species was once threatened with extinction. As a result, there have been repeated incidents of livestock being attacked, and wolves have also appeared in residential areas, leading to conflict potential.

The population has perceived this as a security risk, said Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) on Wednesday at a press conference in Vienna. "For us, it was clear that with this development, it is necessary to maintain the balance in the natural and cultural landscape and ensure that the wolf retains its natural fear of humans." At the beginning of October, a wolf was shot in the Zwettl district of Lower Austria because it had previously attacked, injured, and killed livestock.

Study for Effective Wolf Management

The Boku study "LeKoWolf: Habitat and Conflict Potential Model for the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Austria" started in April of last year. Questions to be answered included which habitat in Austria is potentially suitable for wolves from an ecological perspective, where conflict potentials with wolves arise in Austria from a socio-economic perspective, and which areas are particularly affected by habitat and conflict potential. These models are intended to provide a data-supported basis for effective wolf management that can consider both the protection status of the wolf under the Flora-Fauna-Habitat Directive and the interests of the affected people.

The study would show that Austria theoretically has potential habitats for wolves - especially in the alpine region - said Totschnig. At the same time, there would also be conflict potential in these regions due to livestock farming, alpine agriculture, and tourism. For the first time, precise map representations identified areas with high to low conflict potential, according to Totschnig.

Rising Numbers and Spread of Wolves

The study showed that the wolf is widespread in Europe. Animals could come to Austria from all directions, said study author Jennifer Hatlauf from the Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management. "Even if all wolves disappeared today, new ones would arrive tomorrow." The reason for this is the rising numbers in neighboring countries and the dispersal biology of the species. "A young wolf will travel long distances in search of a mate," said Hatlauf. After the wolf was eradicated in Austria in the mid-19th century, the first pack reappeared in 2016, and by 2024 there were already nine. In 2025, there have so far been eight confirmed packs in Austria.

Particularly Affected: Southern and Western Austria

In 2023, there were still over 100 wolf detections in this country; in 2024, there were fewer than 100. Consequently, the damages caused by the animals have also decreased after a peak in 2022, explained the scientist. Models were created for habitat, predation, and conflict potential. From these, hotspots - for example, in the west and south of Austria - were identified. Hatlauf described the analysis as "groundbreaking and valuable."

In the future, conflict solutions and measures are to be derived from the investigation. The study is "an important building block towards a functioning and scientifically well-supported wolf management in Austria," said Totschnig. It has shown that there is a need for further research. Therefore, the ministry, together with the federal states, will commission another study regarding the determination of the proposal for a favorable conservation status of the wolf in Austria.

Emotionally Charged Topic: "Bring More Pragmatism In"

Currently, preparations are underway to map the changed EU legal situation with corresponding laws of the federal states. On one hand, an active wolf monitoring would be established, meaning the wolf population in Austria would be recorded. Additionally, it is about determining the favorable conservation status as a prerequisite for conducting active wolf management. "We are now creating the foundations on a scientific basis," said Totschnig. The study now conducted only addresses one aspect of the topic.

The topic of wolves has a lot to do with emotions, said the Tyrolean Deputy Governor Josef Geisler (ÖVP). "Urban people in the cities are less affected than people in the countryside or in the mountains." If conflicts with large predators are less than 50 kilometers away, rejection increases relatively strongly, Geisler noted. "Therefore, it would be important to bring less ideology and more pragmatism here and also let science have a say."

Herd Protection Should Be Promoted

During the press conference, the minister emphasized herd protection, which is repeatedly mentioned as the sole solution approach. Experiences from other EU member states would also show. "Ultimately, one must come to the realization that without regulating the wolf populations, it does not work in practice," said Totschnig. Geisler also emphasized that herd protection means "a very high organizational effort." Previously, the sheep on the pastures were free in nature and "now with herd protection, they also have to be penned," said Geisler. This would only work if the animals had a high health status, otherwise, it would quickly lead to infections of various diseases. Medical care would therefore already begin in winter so that the animals are medically well cared for until they are driven to the pasture.

On the occasion of the study presentation, the animal protection organization WWF once again called for a comprehensive herd protection offensive. Shooting is not a sustainable solution, it was said in a statement. With the herd protection offensive, livestock owners should be supported in hiring shepherds as well as in purchasing herd protection dogs and electric fences. That such measures work is shown by examples from comparable Alpine regions like Switzerland: There, the number of livestock killed per wolf has decreased by 87 percent, according to WWF spokesperson Leonhard Steinmann.

Shooting as the Most Common Cause of Death

According to WWF, shootings are the most common cause of death for wolves in Austria. In 2024 alone, 13 animals were killed in this country. For comparison: In Germany, two animals were shot in 2024, although there, with 209 packs and 46 pairs, about 30 times more wolves with fixed territories live than in Austria, the organization noted.

(APA/Red)

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