On Friday 24 May 2024, Luxembourg's Nature and Forest Agency reported on the completion of various analyses on dead farm animals.
The Nature and Forest Agency recalled that a calf had been found "torn and eaten by a predator" in a pasture in the Brachtenbach area at the end of April 2024. The genetic testing of samples taken from the bite wounds and examined at the Senckenberg research institute in Germany did not produce any clear results. Due to the bite and feeding marks, however, the Nature and Forest Agency classified the case as a "confirmed indication" (C2). As the administration explained, this is in line with the categorisation of wolf indications used in several countries, including Luxembourg. The farmer will therefore be compensated 100%.
In a separate incident, two newborn calves were found dead "with traces of eating" in the Lellig area at the beginning of May 2024. Although in this case nothing directly pointed to the wolf as a predator and it was not clear whether the calves were even born alive, samples were also sent to the Senckenberg institute, noted the administration. In this case, the "clear result" was that the predator had been a domestic dog. The farmer will therefore receive no compensation.
The Nature and Forest Agency has asked members of the public to immediately report any possible evidence of the presence of wolves to them for monitoring purposes, via email: wolf@anf.etat.lu.
