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Wolf illegally shot in Ilm district – authorities are investigating!
In the Ilm district, a wolf that was illegally shot was euthanized. Investigations are ongoing because shootings violate animal protection law.
Wolf illegally shot in Ilm district – authorities are investigating!
In the Ilm district, a tragic incident is causing a stir among animal rights activists and the population: a wolf was illegally shot and had to be euthanized. The young male, who had previously been seen seriously injured in a field near Ilmenau, fell victim to serious injuries two weeks after the incident. Studies by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research have confirmed the shelling. However, the background is still unclear as genetic studies into the origin of the animal are still pending. The Wolf, Beaver, Lynx competence center then filed a criminal complaint with the Arnstadt-Ilmenau police station because of the illegal shooting.
The police have already started an investigation into an offense under the Animal Protection Act. The ad is directed against unknown people, which opens another chapter in the discussion about the wolf and its accepted presence in Thuringia. According to the Federal Nature Conservation Act, shooting a protected animal such as a wolf is a criminal offense that can be punished with fines of up to 50,000 euros or even imprisonment. Up to 25 wolves have currently been identified in Thuringia, and many of them have become victims of illegal hunting since the large predators returned to the region.
Political responsibility and herd protection
In this context, NABU sees politics and wolf and lynx opponents as complicit in the unobjective sentiment towards these animals. Throughout 2025, contact between humans and animals has increased. The acceptance of wolves and lynxes in particular is tense in Thuringia. One main problem lies in the implementation of herd protection measures. According to the crack statistics for 2025, inadequate herd protection measures were documented in almost 100 percent of the crack damage to sheep and goats.
Wolves are among the endangered and strictly protected species in Germany. Despite many calls for wolves to be hunted, their inclusion in hunting law is legally inadmissible and contradicts EU and German protection regulations. Pasture owners remain responsible for protecting their animals, which should be done through fencing and other herd protection measures. Historical wolf hunting dreams of eradicating the predators, but these practices have proven ineffective. The wolf population regulates itself – through prey availability, disease or rivalries.
Legal basis for the protection of wolves
The Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG) forms the legal basis for the protection of nature in Germany and has given the wolf special protection status since August 31, 1980. The regulations that regulate the handling of wolves are particularly important. Feeding or attracting animals is prohibited unless it is done under the supervision of the responsible authorities. Shooting can only be permitted in serious cases, such as damage to livestock and without attribution to a specific wolf. Between 2000 and October 2022, a total of 812 dead wolves were documented in Germany, which illustrates the scale of the problem.
The debate about wolves in Thuringia is by no means over. The incident in the Ilm district requires a rethink in society and a look at herd protection measures. It will continue to be crucial in the future that people and animals can live together in a respectful manner.