A wolf bit a sheep farmer in Wapse this morning. That happened around 7:00 am, when the man wanted to drive the animal away because his sheep were attacked.
The farmer tried to drive the wolf away with a pitchfork and a shovel, but was bitten on the arm and has damaged tendons. The man has been taken to the hospital.
Mayor Rikus Jager of the municipality of Westerveld has decided to shoot the wolf after consultation with experts. “You have to make a decision then,” he says. “Can you let such a wolf run free, or is the risk too great that something like this will happen again? I was given advice and then I figured it out myself. Something had to be done.”
Hunter is aware that the choice to have the animal shot leads to discussion, especially since the wolf enjoys European protection. “Whatever decision you make, you know it’s major,” he explains. “But it has become clear that this wolf no longer belongs in nature. Many people will think this is the wrong decision, but many also think it is right.”
The sheep farmer also had a wolf-resistant fence. The wolf crawled under it, according to tracks. After the attack, the wolf hid under solar panels, which were also within the wolf-resistant grid.