The province of Gelderland continues to struggle with how to deal with the wolf. Sheep farmers, frightened Gelderlanders and the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) want wolves that attack cattle to be shot. The provincial government would also like to do so, but says it cannot do so due to the wolf’s strictly protected status.
“I will never run early in the morning on the moor again,” said Rik Loeters, chairman of BBB Gelderland. The reason is an attack during a running round in Romania.
Loeters was not attacked by wolves, but by feral dogs. A different situation, but still he is afraid of wolves. He also mentioned the example of people from Uddel who no longer let their children cycle through the woods at dusk for fear of the wolf.
There are so many examples. And whether those concerns are justified or not (wolves prefer to avoid humans and there are hardly any wolf attacks known in Western Europe), many people live with that fear.
Of course there are also livestock farmers whose cattle are sometimes attacked by the wolf. Often there are all kinds of comments to be made, but you will come to your meadow early in the morning and see your animals lying open on the grass.
BBB requested urgent debate about the wolf
Shortly after the election win, BBB therefore requested an emergency debate to give the wolf a firm blow in return within the Provincial Council. The newcomer to the provincial house filed a motion on Thursday to be allowed to shoot wolves that cause problems.
“If such things (attack on cattle, ed.) happen, the first reaction is: something has to be done,” says deputy Peter Drenth. “Logical, because that’s what people expect from us. But we can’t just do everything. We have laws and rules in our country.”
According to Drenth, these laws and regulations restrict it. He would like to have more space to be able to chase away wolves and, if necessary, to shoot them. But the wolf’s highly protected status prevents it from doing so.
“We want to manage more, but all the steps we have now taken in that direction have failed in court,” says Drenth. He is referring, among other things, to the paintball gun that the province wanted to use against a wolf on De Hoge Veluwe that approached people.
That was also the reaction of large Gelderland parties such as the CDA and the VVD. “We see that something needs to be done, but within the framework of the law,” said CDA member Arjan Tolkamp. He called for not to rush into a decision, but to discuss the wolf and what needs to be done.
BBB turns: Let’s talk about wolf later
There was therefore no majority for the BBB’s motion. It was remarkable that this was not apparent during a vote, but during a suspension of the debate. Behind the scenes, the BBB had tried to get support, but was unsuccessful.
So the BBB turned during the resumption of the debate. Where at first there was strong language and the wolf had to be tackled quickly, the party still agreed that the predator would be discussed in more detail at a later time. Only then will decisions follow.
