Wolves are starting to return to Netherlands after 140 years, according to recent reports by ecologists.
Ecologists from FreeNature and Wolven in Nederland, both campaign groups in Netherlands, have been tracking two female wolves in the Veluwe area and were collecting wolf prints and excrements, from which they can identify DNA.
“It’s like Tinder,” ecologist Mirte Kruit told BBC Radio 4’s Costing the Earth. “It can say if it’s a male or female, are they single and looking for a mate and [tell you] about their family.”
He added that their date can now confirm that one of the females that stayed for six consecutive months in the area can now be considered “established.” Ecologists have also reported a male wolf, which means the first Dutch wolf pack could be months away from returning as well.
However, it’s not all good news for the Netherlands community.
In 1992, wolf population grew rapidly in France and farmers complained about the rising attacks on their flocks of sheep and goat.
Electric fences and guard dogs were put into place and farmers received compensation, but 12,000 incidents were still reported and people are angrier than ever about the damage on their flocks.
Wolves are protected under the Berne conventions, which states that the wolves could only be killed under specific circumstances. The French Government stated that they aim to reach wolf population of 500 by 2023, but the wolves’ numbers is thought to have surpassed that just this winter, which is why France proposes to increase their cull rate at 17% (from 12%).
Campaign group Wolven in Nederland stated that they have been planning to prepare the Dutch people for the return of the wolves since 2008.
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