Germany’s Bundestag reclassifies wolves as game species, permitting regulated culls in states with high populations.
Legislative Change
Germany’s Bundestag voted on March 5 to classify wolves as a game species, enabling federal states with significant populations—such as Brandenburg, Saxony, and Lower Saxony—to manage their numbers. This amendment allows for regulated wolf culls in these regions.
Hunting Provisions
Hunting seasons for wolves will run from July 1 to October 31. Wolves may also be killed if they breach protective fencing and attack or injure livestock. In 2024, Germany recorded approximately 1,100 wolf attacks resulting in 4,300 killed or injured farm animals, with protection costs reaching €23.4 million.
Farmer and Environmentalist Responses
Farmers, led by DBV president Joachim Rukwied, have long advocated for stricter population control. However, protests erupted in southwestern Germany, particularly in the Schwarzwald region, where only four wolves exist. Residents named one wolf “Grindia” to oppose local culling plans.
Scientific Debate
WWF’s Sybille Klenzendorf argues mass hunting is ineffective and may increase attacks by dispersing young wolves. She criticized Germany’s claim of a recovered wolf population, citing insufficient scientific evidence and successful non-lethal controls in Austria and Switzerland, such as electric fences and active herding.