Excitement in Thuringia: First illegal wolf shooting shocks nature conservation!

Excitement in Thuringia: First illegal wolf shooting shocks nature conservation!

At the end of 2023, a badly mauled wolf carcass was discovered on a road in Wartburgkreis, Thuringia. Initially, another explanation for the animal's death was suspected, but the investigation by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin came to a frightening conclusion: the wolf had been shot. This finding caused horror, especially among nature conservation organizations.

The wolf, which comes from the Wildflecken pack in Bavaria, was not only genetically identified, but computer tomography also clearly showed that it was an illegal kill. The Lower Nature Conservation Authority, police and public prosecutor's office were informed accordingly, because killing a wolf is a serious crime in Germany that can be punished with a fine or even imprisonment. Political moves to lower the legal hurdles to hunting problematic wolves have so far not borne fruit. This is reported by Thuringia24.

Reactions and demands

The Thuringian Ministry of the Environment also confirms the illegal shooting and draws attention to the worrying event. Silvester Tamás from NABU Thuringia expresses his horror at this incident and sincerely hopes that Thuringia will be spared from further illegal shooting. There have already been two incidents in 2022 and 2023 in which lynx were illegally killed. In order to take better action against such environmental crimes, NABU is calling for the establishment of a special staff office in Thuringia.

Despite the critical situation, the clearance rate for such crimes is alarmingly low, almost zero. The Leibniz-IZW is responsible for investigating wolf and lynx deaths in Germany and points out the frightening figures: around 10 percent of the wolves found dead were shot illegally. In recent years, despite strict protection status, many animals have died under mysterious circumstances, usually due to traffic accidents. However, this cruel method of shooting stands out because it violates not only national but also international regulations.

The wolf in Germany

Since their return to Germany around 25 years ago, more than 1,000 wolves have died, with traffic accidents being the main cause of most deaths. A comprehensive investigation shows that the Leibniz-IZW autopsies almost all dead wolves, although only about 50 percent are brought for autopsy. The most common finds of dead wolves are in the federal states of Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Lower Saxony.

The wolf population has increased significantly over the past few decades. There are currently more than 1,339 wolves detected in Germany, spread across almost all federal states. Due to these ever-growing numbers, it is essential to develop better management of grazing animals, be it through fences or other protective measures, rather than encouraging the illegal shooting of wolves. NABU is calling for increased measures to promote acceptance of wolves among the population in order to protect these valuable animals.

The case of the wolf being shot shines a bright light on the existing challenges in nature conservation. If wolves are already being treated so brutally, what about other animals? Politicians are called upon to take stricter measures and set a clear course for the protection of wild animals.

The reports from Thüringen24, NABU Thüringen and GEO illustrate the urgency of the situation and the need to take consistent action against environmental crime.