Utrecht Approves Cull of Problem Wolf After Attack

Confirmed Attack and Safety Concerns
DNA tests ultimately connected the wolf to the attack, and it had previously been tied to several others. Following expert assessments, the province determined the wolf was an immediate threat to people. Utrecht officials said they had not made the decision lightly, but public safety had to be paramount.

The province also recognized that it was responsible for preventing harm to wildlife, and the move was a hard but necessary one, they added.

Now hunters have until Jan. 1 to hunt and kill the wolf. Meanwhile, the province is making preparations to chip the whole wolf pack on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug before the end of the year.

Legal Battle and Shift in EU Policy
The animal rights groups have four days to appeal the decision. Two groups have already said they will fight the ruling in court.

The move comes after a European Parliament vote last month to change the wolf’s protection status in the region from “strictly protected” to simply “protected.” This reclassification enables regional governments to more easily orchestrate culls. The change has yet to be formally ratified in Dutch law, so it will not fully take effect.

Until then, the push by Utrecht is a test of the extent to which Dutch authorities will reconcile public safety and the preservation of room for wildlife in an era of shifting European policy.