The province of Utrecht in the Netherlands is issuing an urgent warning to parents to avoid taking young children to a popular forest near the city of Utrecht due to concerning encounters with a wolf. The wolf has displayed unusual behavior, leading authorities to consider seeking a permit to kill the protected animal, pending approval from the agriculture ministry.
Recently, a child was reportedly pushed over by a wolf in Austerlitz, following a previous incident that prompted the closure of a walking area in the region. Experts believe the behavior exhibited by the wolf is worrying and not typical of these animals. There are suspicions that this wolf was involved in past incidents in Leusden as well.
Wolves have been gradually spreading from the east to the west of the Netherlands, migrating from Germany. In 2019, their presence was confirmed after two centuries of extinction in the country when a pair of wolves gave birth to a litter of cubs. While conservationists see the return of wolves as positive, their interactions with livestock and proximity to humans have raised concerns.
Authorities in a national park were recently authorized to use a paintball gun to deter a wolf that was getting too close to humans. Despite the increasing encounters between wolves and the public, no severe injuries have been reported. Fauna Protection, an organization advocating against hunting, has emphasized the importance of urgent warnings as opposed to lethal measures.