Drenthe mayors call for research into limiting the space wolves can occupy

Ten of Drenthe’s 12 mayors have asked the national government to research a stricter approach to controlling the wolf. In a joint letter to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, the mayors said the wolf’s growing presence is increasingly affecting daily life through safety concerns and livestock damage, among other factors, according to RTV Drenthe.

The mayors want research into a "managed wolf,” a model similar to the system used for wild boar. Under the approach, authorities designate certain zones as living areas for the animals and others as zero-density zones where numbers are kept as close to zero as possible.

The municipalities are not immediately demanding action but want their ideas studied. “We want a Drenthe where nature has room, but where people can also continue to move about safely and freely.”

Because the national government is currently working on a new vision for the wolf in the country, the mayors say now is an “excellent opportunity to include research into wolf management. State Secretary Silvio Erkens (VVD) has accepted an invitation for a working visit to Drenthe. He will travel there on Tuesday to meet with the mayors.