The European protection rules for the wolf have weakened, but the predator remains protected. Only if the wolven population is stable enough can the beast be easier to drive away or killed.
The Netherlands first had to investigate this. The results were published on Friday by Wageningen University & Research (WUR). What turns out? On the contrary, more wolven rods must come before the Netherlands can handle the protection of the country’s most discussed wildebeest.
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The report causes arguing between the State Secretary and the University. “Unusable,” Rummenia called the research because of the lack of research into the social and socio -economic consequences. “Miscellation,” the university responds, because that was not the assignment.
Rummenie responds in Brussels on Monday. He continues to find it “a pity” that the wide picture has been not taken into account.
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“Of course the WUR says, we have been asked for an ecological study. Well, I respect that. But of course it is not the only part of the puzzle that I have to lay. This is the ecological look,” said Rummenie. “But as a minister, I have a bit more responsibility for administratively. We have all seen how it sometimes becomes quite dangerous in the Netherlands. And when you look at that study, who speaks about a quadruple of the number of wolves.”
The State Secretary says he has talked to the university about this broad picture: “But they were really in it like that. A researcher is about his research, isn’t it?” The minister has now ordered a new study from an ‘international expert’. He doesn’t say who that is. “The assignment is now more explicit.”
The former agricultural diplomat also points to differences with other countries. “Sweden falls under the same European rules, the country is ten times the size of the Netherlands and they already decided there last year that there may be a maximum of 270 wolves,” said Rummenie. “We are already on 120 wolves and then there should be 150. (…) I am really shocked by these numbers. That is why I think it is good to request a second opinion.”