- A Dutch court has ruled that authorities in eastern Gelderland can use paintball guns to scare away wolves in national parks.
- Wolves are protected in the Netherlands and cannot be hunted, but a court decision allows the use of paintball guns to deter them.
- The decision followed concerns that female wolves in the Hoge Veluwe National Park were displaying “unnatural behavior” when approaching humans.
A Dutch court ruled Wednesday that authorities can use paintball guns to scare away wolves after at least one wolf began approaching human visitors at a popular national park.
The decision is a victory for the eastern state of Gelderland, which has been trying to use paintball guns to scare away wild wolves. Wolves are protected in the Netherlands and cannot be hunted.
Wildlife conservation groups opposed to the plan said they would appeal the ruling.
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Two centuries after wolves were hunted to extinction in the Netherlands, wolves officially returned to the Netherlands in 2019, when a pair of wolves crossed the border from Germany and gave birth to three cubs on Dutch soil.
Two young male wolves look out of their enclosure at the Wild Place Project in Bristol, England, on March 13, 2014. A Dutch court has said authorities can use paintball guns to shoot wolves in a popular national park. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Last year, the European Commission announced it was considering whether to curb animal protection measures due to farmers' concerns about livestock.
Experts and environmental groups estimate that there may be up to 19,000 wolves in the 27 EU countries, with more than 1,000 wolves in Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania and Spain. is thought to exist.
The Central Dutch District Court said in its ruling that a female wolf was seen in the Hoge Veluwe National Park approaching pedestrians and cyclists and displaying so-called “unnatural behavior.”
The park is a popular destination for hikers and cyclists, and is also home to the Kröller-Müller Museum, a world-renowned art gallery. It is also home to animals such as deer, mouflon sheep, and wild boar. These animals have been repeatedly attacked by wolves in recent years.
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The park recently posted footage on Instagram of a confrontation between two wolf packs, one inside the fenced park and one outside.
The court said in a statement that experts who gave evidence to the court on behalf of the state said female wolves were “becoming increasingly bold”.
“Experts conclude that this unnatural behavior poses a serious threat to public safety. The fact that wolves appear to be less and less afraid of humans means that wolves are no longer aggressive. That doesn't mean it can't bite you,” he added.
It was not immediately clear when authorities would begin using paintball guns to target wolves in the park.
