Wolves in MV: Minister calls for new rules for shooting and protection!

Wolves in MV: Minister calls for new rules for shooting and protection!

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (MV), the wolves are experiencing a comeback that is causing a lot of discussion. According to n-tv there are currently 28 Wolf packs in the region, the number has increased by nine compared to the previous year. As of April 2025, 93 puppies have been born nationwide, confirmed in at least 24 packs. Wolves are now native to almost everywhere in MV, even on the popular islands of Rügen and Usedom. Agriculture and Environment Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) is optimistic and speaks of a favorable conservation status for the wolf species.

But the increase in the wolf population also brings challenges. Many grazing livestock farmers are increasingly confronted with wolf attacks, which increases calls for clear regulations on how to deal with the animals. Backhaus is therefore calling on the federal government to establish legally secure regulations for the management of the wolf species and for the removal of conspicuous animals. Challenges that are getting on the nerves of not only the minister, but also the animal owners affected.

Regulations and legal framework conditions

A decision on the necessary legal basis is expected by the end of November 2025 at the Environment Ministers' Conference in Saarbrücken. So far, the shooting of wolves has been controversial. While conservationists insist on comprehensive protection rights, hunters and animal owners are demanding regulation of stocks. The environment ministers of all federal states have already agreed to include wolves in hunting laws in order to regulate problematic wolves - a move that has met with mixed reactions from the population.

In May 2025, the European Parliament voted to downgrade the wolf's protection status from “strictly protected” to “protected,” allowing shootings to increase. Historically, the wolf (Canis lupus) was exterminated in Germany in the 19th century, but since then wolves have repeatedly immigrated without being accepted. The wolf has only been protected all year round in Germany since 1990 and wolves have been living permanently in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania again since 2006.

Monitoring and wolf management

Wolf management in the region is carried out on behalf of the Ministry for Climate Protection, Agriculture, Rural Areas and the Environment and has been part of a comprehensive management plan since 2010. Monitoring of the wolf's spread has been intensified since 2009. The FEDERAL DOCUMENTATION AND ADVICE CENTER ON THE SUBJECT OF WOLF (DBBW) plays a central role in collecting data on wolf occurrence in Germany and advising authorities. Current results show that a new wolf territory has been identified in the Herzogtum-Lauenburg district and show that the situation remains dynamic.

A look at the statistics shows that the number of attacks on farm animals fell in 2024 compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, 780,400 euros were made available in compensation payments, which represents an increase compared to the previous year but is below the 2020 maximum. In the context of the discussion about the wolf in MV, reference is also made to prevention measures for which 23.4 million euros in funding were available - a clear sign that care is being taken here.

The complexity of the wolf issue in MV is reflected not only in the increase in the population, but also in the various interests that come together here. The next chapter of the wolf story in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania could be opened with relevant decisions as early as November 2025 at the upcoming ministerial conference.