The wolf continues to spread in Lower Saxony. Some sheep farmers can no longer protect their animals and are demanding a solution. Others quit their jobs.
Göttingen – The problems and worries about free-roaming and hunting wolves in Lower Saxony are increasing – sheep farmers in particular are concerned about their animals. Some of them have now even looked for a new job.
Lower Saxon shepherds try to defend themselves against wolves * with ever higher and sometimes double fences, including herd guard dogs. However, this often does not work as desired, as reported Kreiszeitung.de. “Protection of the herd is utopian. I can’t run away from the wolves forever, every fence has already been overcome, ”said Wendelin Schmücker, chairman of the German Sheep Farming Association.
Lower Saxony: wolves kill farm animals – environment minister demands upper limit
According to his own statements, the shepherd in the Lüneburg district lost 28 animals in 2018. “I put up fences every day when I’m on the move,” reported the man from Winsen an der Luhe (Harburg district). The costs for the power fences were immense. The standard height is 90 centimeters – according to him, 50 meters alone cost 60 euros. Typically, however, twelve to 24 sections would be needed to protect the sheep when he is out and about. In addition, he comes to his physical limits. “It’s a tough job,” said Schmücker.
Not all shepherds resist the predators in the circle for so long. Some gave up their businesses completely because of the wolf cracks. Nothing could stop the animals from attacking the sheep – neither fences, nor cameras or donkeys. Many of them now wanted stricter regulation of the wolf population. Lower Saxony’s environment minister, Olaf Lies (SPD), is also in favor of an upper limit. If the number is above an accepted limit, the inventory must be regulated. In 2020, a total of 1477 farm animals were killed in Lower Saxony.
In the video: Shepherds are afraid for their animals because of wolf
Wolves “already go to cattle and horses” – sheep farmers in Lower Saxony worried
There are now 38 packs in the country – according to Lies, there were ten in 2017. The Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) is against the shooting down of the robbers. The herd protection has a long-term effect. In regions where wolves have been living for a long time and actively protecting herds, the number of cracks has decreased significantly.
Despite everything, shepherds continue to worry. “The pressure in Lower Saxony is high. In the past we didn’t have wolves, now they go to cattle and horses, ”said the 81-year-old Adolf Schmücker, who handed over his sheep to his son. If the herd is not regulated, sheep farming will be gone. The family is not sure how long they can and want to continue their business. In northern Hesse and in the south of Lower Saxony, too, people have to fight a large number of wolves *. Grazing animal owners criticized the plan to regulate wolves in Hesse *. (Alina Schröder) * hna.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
