The First Proof of the Recent Presence of Wolves in the Netherlands
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The first proof of the recent presence of wolves in the Netherlands Glenn Lelieveld1,2, Bart Beekers1,3, Julia Kamp1, Dick Klees1,4, Leo Linnartz1,3, Ellen van Norren1,5, Elze Polman1 & Roeland Vermeulen1,6 1 Wolven in Nederland (www.wolveninnederland.nl), e-mail: [email protected] 2 Averti Ecologie, Acacialaan 21, NL-6721 CN Bennekom, the Netherlands 3 ARK Natuurontwikkeling, Molenveldlaan 43, NL-6523 RJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands 4 Studio Wolverine, Legstraat 2a, NL-4861 RK Chaam, the Netherlands 5 Landschap Overijssel, Poppenallee 39, NL-7722 KW Dalfsen, the Netherlands 6 FREE Nature, Augustuslaan 36, NL-6642 AB Beuningen, the Netherlands Abstract: During the second half of the 20th century, wolves (Canis lupus L. 1758) have greatly expanded their range in Europe. Experts believe that wolves will ultimately recolonise the Netherlands. In March 2015, a Ger- man wolf (named ‘Wanderwolf’) visited the Netherlands, leaving a trail of sightings and several attacked sheep. This raised a lot of media interest and public discussion. In this article, we summarise the spread of the wolf across north-western Europe in the 21st century, often into habitats previously considered too small for viable popula- tions, track Wanderwolf’s background and journey across the north-east of the Netherlands and discuss other pos- sible sightings of wolves in the Netherlands since 1990. Keywords: Canis lupus, Europe, habituation, Netherlands, wolf, management, dispersion, recolonisation, habitat, expansion. Introduction territorial individuals in France and 40 wolf packs or pairs in Germany (Kontaktbüro During the second half of the 20th century, Wolfsregion Lausitz 2016, ONCFS 2016). wolves (Canis lupus) have greatly expanded The first wolves to come back into Ger- their historical range in Europe. The most many were sighted in the Lausitz region close important reasons for this expansion seem to to the Polish border. In 2000, for the first be European-wide legal protection, especially time in approximately 150 years, wolf pups since the fall of the Iron Curtain (the wolf was were born in Germany, at a military training not a protected species in the former German area (Kontaktbüro Wolfsregion Lausitz 2016, Democratic Republic (DDR) until 1990), and NABU 2016). From 2002/2003 wolves began increased populations of prey species, which to spread mostly in a north-westerly direc- allowed wolf populations to recover from tion, occasionally visiting Denmark by 2012 their last refuges in Spain, Italy and Eastern (Jensen et al. 2015). Europe and to recolonise France, Switzerland Wolves have also been heading back to and Germany. It is estimated that there are the Netherlands. In March 2013, a camera currently 46 wolf packs, 15 wolf pairs and 4 captured a territorial female wolf in a mili- tary training area near the city of Meppen in © 2016 Zoogdiervereniging. Lutra articles also on the Lower Saxony (Germany), some 50 kilome- internet: http://www.zoogdiervereniging.nl tres from the Dutch border. The same wolf Lelieveld et al. / Lutra 59 (1-2): 23-31 23 Lutra_59_1_Text_v4.indd 23 13/12/2016 23:29 was sighted a year later in March/April 2014 without resident wolves, a single wolf wan- at military areas near Meppen and Nord- dered through the Dutch provinces of Dren- horn (through camera trapping and photos the and Groningen in broad daylight. From 7 by passers-by). DNA analyses showed that the to 10 March 2015, the Netherlands witnessed female wolf came from the Gartower pack in the comeback of an iconic species. In this arti- the Wendland region, Germany (B. Habbe, cle we describe the appearance of this wolf, its personal communication). history and the response by the general public The wolves’ rapid colonisation of densely and others. populated western European countries sur- prised many since most of the older literature describes suitable wolf habitat as large areas ‘Wanderwolf’ (up to thousands of square kilometres) with minimal human disturbance (Mech & Boi- ‘Wanderwolf’ had caught the eye of German tani 2003, Kaartinen et al. 2005). Others sug- wolf experts long before it reached the Neth- gested that these were refuge areas instead of erlands. The first noticeable and documented being a preferred habitat of wolves (Llaneza, incident with this young wolf, was in Feb- Lopez-Bao & Sazatornil 2012). A 2013 Ger- ruary 2015 when he attacked a sheep flock man study showed that European wolves are in Schleswig-Holstein. What was conspicu- highly adaptive to cultivation and can deal ous about this incident was that he attacked with human population densities of up to 80 them in broad daylight and did not seem to people per km2 (Fechter & Storch 2014). A be as timid as its conspecifics. The wolf did Dutch study suggested that the Netherlands not show any aggressive behaviour towards may provide enough suitable habitats for at humans (Kabel 2015a), but kept returning to least 40 wolf packs (Lelieveld 2012), despite the flock for about an hour despite humans the country’s high average population den- being just a few metres away, trying to pro- sity of 500 people per km2 (CBS 2014) and the tect the flock. A few weeks later, he was identi- intensive cultivation of its rural areas. Fechter fied to be a yearling from the Munster pack in and Storch (2014) argue that wolves can deal Lower Saxony, a pack known for its indiffer- with even more densely populated areas than ence towards humans. Such unusual behav- suggested by Lelieveld’s study (2012). iour has only been reported in this particu- Nonetheless, wolves tend to colonise areas lar wolf pack in Germany. Experts began to with relatively little human disturbance, such discuss the possibility that humans had made as military areas or former open-cast coal a contribution to this conspicuous behaviour mining areas. German wolves are known to through feeding them (Kabel 2015b). have occupied territories of 200 km2 on aver- The authorities in Lower Saxony decided to age, sometimes even as small as 80 km2, indi- make Wanderwolf more wary of human pres- cating that the need for large territories is ence. The first step in this process was to per- not, in itself, an obstacle for the settlement of mit a wolf advisor to startle the wolf by shoot- wolves. It is likely that territory size is highly ing at it with rubber bullets. The authorities depending on the availability of prey (Fechter also permitted the killing of the wolf if it were & Storch 2014). to actively threaten humans. These actions In light of the expansion of wolves from the caused much debate among wolf experts and Polish border to the northwest of Germany conservationists, who argued that startling and the sightings in Denmark, the appearance a wolf with rubber bullets fired from a short of the wolf in the Netherlands was no surprise distance could cause injuries and this should to most experts. In March 2015, this expec- only be done by experts. After a meeting, tation was fulfilled when, after generations all the stakeholders agreed it would be best 24 Lelieveld et al. / Lutra 59 (1-2): 23-31 Lutra_59_1_Text_v4.indd 24 13/12/2016 23:29 to capture the wolf and study its health and with photos verified by experts (C1 under the behaviour. If the wolf proved to be healthy SCALP criteria) was at 7 March around 8 a.m. and wild, it should be released back into its near Erm, approximately 17 km from the Ger- parents’ territory and startled during release man border. Other validated sightings showed by experts to make the wolf more wary of that the wolf continued in a north-westerly humans. To follow its movements, it should direction, through Sleen and Wezuperbrug. A be tagged with a GPS transmitter. However, man driving with his daughter on the N381, Wanderwolf took matters into its own hands between Zweeloo and Noord-Sleen, not far and entered the Netherlands before German from Emmen, stopped their car for a wolf experts were able to capture it. crossing the road in front of them. He took photos and sent them to various media outlets. Between the first and last C1 sighting, at Wanderwolf wandering through the Wezuperbrug on 7 March, the wolf walked a Netherlands distance of 17 km. The next morning, the ani- mal was reported to be nearby Amen, 15 km In the afternoon of 6 March 2015 a German further northwest (P. Venema, personal com- wolf expert contacted the platform organi- munication). On the same day, two observ- zation ‘Wolven in Nederland’ (‘Wolves in the ers photographed the wolf crossing a road in Netherlands’) to inform them that Wanderwolf Wezuperbrug. According to their description, was heading towards the Dutch border and the wolf was wandering slowly and jumping at was expected to enter the Netherlands soon. a bird. Shortly after these first sightings were The information was forwarded to the relevant reported in the news. Dutch authorities: the Ministry of Economic On 8 March, Wanderwolf was photo- Affairs, the Province of Drenthe, Faunafonds graphed many times during daylight hours and other nature organisations. The authorities in the Drentse Aa National Park. The next from Lower Saxony also made contact with the morning it was photographed (C1) close to Province of Drenthe. Annen, approximately 16 kilometres from On the evening of 6 March 2015, a local where it had been seen the day before. The resident witnessed the wolf near to the Dutch wolf continued to follow a northerly direc- border at the Bargerveen Nature Reserve, (see tion, travelling through the villages of figure 1). The observer was not able to make Hoogezand and Kolham between 8:30 and a photograph, so the sighting remained an 10:30, which resulted in almost a live feed of unverifiable C3 classification under the SCALP verifiable sightings.