Wolves target cattle, vets sound alarm: ‘Ensure management’
Wolf attacks on cattle in the province of Drenthe have surged dramatically, with 60 incidents reported this year alone compared to only seven in 2022. Local veterinarians and farmers are calling for urgent population management, as traditional grazing practices are increasingly threatened by this evolving predatory behavior.
In the province of Drenthe, the number of wolf attacks on cattle has risen significantly, with sixty reported incidents already this year compared to just seven in 2022. Veterinarians and local farmers report that wolves have learned to hunt larger livestock, including young cows and even fully grown bulls. This change in behavior is believed to have originated in local nature reserves where wolves decimated a large herd of Galloway cattle between 2022 and 2025. The shift now threatens the traditional practice of grazing cows in open pastures across the region.
Affected farmers are increasingly forced to keep their livestock indoors at night to prevent further losses, as current fencing measures prove ineffective or prohibitively expensive. Veterinarians are calling for stricter management of wolf populations to protect both animal welfare and the future of regional farming. As the conflict intensifies, farmers express frustration over the ongoing threat to their herds and the landscape, prompting urgent discussions with government officials regarding the necessity of controlling wolf numbers.
Based on reporting by ad. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
