Leelo Kukk, Deputy Director General of the Environmental Board in the field of wildlife, said that the wolf is doing very well in Estonia. "The hunting volume approved by the Environmental Board in 2023 is higher than that of last year, as the number of wolves in our forests exceeds the range agreed in the large carnivore management plan. According to the Environmental Agency, 34 litters with wolf cubs are known to live in Estonia as of the end of October. In the management plan, the agreed goal is to ensure the existence of 20-30 litters, while avoiding an increase in events of predator damage. This year shows that the increase in the number of litters above the limits agreed in the plan has significantly increased the damage," explained Kukk.
"The wolf has started to come back to many European countries, where it had been exterminated in the meantime. In the neighboring countries, Latvia and Lithuania, the number of wolves has been steadily increasing in recent years. The Estonian wolf is part of the Baltic population, and therefore a seminar will be held in the near future with colleagues from Latvia and Lithuania, the aim of which is to exchange information on the organization of wolf protection and hunting in the three Baltic countries, in order to ensure the favorable status of this population," explained Leelo Kukk.
When determining hunting volumes, the Environmental Board based the decision on wolf hunting proposal submitted by the Environmental Agency and the data collected by the Environmental Board about the damage caused by wolves.
If necessary, the hunting volume will be adjusted during the hunting period according to the receipt of additional data. The aim is to bring wolf numbers within the limits agreed in the management plan to help reduce damage.
In 2023, the Environmental Board has so far registered 301 wolf attacks on livestock and domestic animals. This year, the most wolf attacks have occurred in Rapla county, where 51 were recorded, followed by Harjumaa with 49, Viljandimaa with 40 and Pärnumaa with 38 attacks. If last year 748 sheep were killed by wolves, this year the number is 1110 sheep by the start of the wolf hunt, an additional 257 sheep have been injured.
Both barn doors and gates must be closed and secure for the protection of the herd. The most effective way of protection in the pasture is a proper anti-predator fence, which should have a 5-line electric fence, the lower wire of which should be as close to the ground as possible and the upper wire/line at a height of 110-120 cm. It is important that all lines should be properly tensioned and physically tensioned as well. A well-trained herding dog also helps to protect the herd.
It is possible to request compensation from the state for the damage caused and prevention.
This text has been translated with the help of Google Translate.
