Credit: Silviu Chiriac

The Department of the Environment at Luxembourg's Ministry of State has issued a statement concerning a suspected wolf attack in the east of Luxembourg.

On 26 February 2018, a sheep had been found in a field near Fouhren (approx 3km south of Vianden) which had been ripped and eaten by a predator. The wounds appeared to be due to bite marks and feeding marks of a wolf, according to personnel from Luxembourg's Nature Management.

However, since the genetic examination of samples taken at the bite wounds at the Senckenberg Institute Gelnhausen (D) yielded no results, more detailed examinations of the photos of the tear were made and discussed with experts from France, Poland and Spain. These unanimously confirmed the expertise of Nature Management.

According to the categorisation of wolf evidence used in many countries, which is also used in Luxembourg, it is thus defined as a "confirmed clue" (C2). This is the second proof of the wolf in Luxembourg within a few months. The injured sheep breeder from Fouhren has consequently been 100% compensated for the loos of his stock.

Lecture in Brandenburg on 19 April

To inform the people in the area of ​​Fouhren about the wolf, an information meeting is to be held on Thursday 19 April at 19:30 in the Festsall Branebuerg (1 Haaptstrooss, L-9360 Brandenburg), by the Nature Department and the municipalities of Bettendorf, Putscheid, Reisdorf, Tandel and Vianden. The Associate Director of Nature Management, Laurent Schley, will give a talk entitled "The Return of the Wolf: Lucky or Disaster?". Afterwards the expert will be available for questions.

The Department of the Environment has stated that Luxembourg is well prepared for the return of the wolf. In 2016, an "Action and Management Plan for the Management of Wolves in Luxembourg" was prepared, together with all stakeholders from agriculture, science, nature conservation, private forest owners and hunting.

Wolves usually avoid direct contact with humans. Encounters between humans and wolves are therefore extremely rare, but not impossible. As a rule, wolves retreat as soon as they notice a human being, but they can also be curious and scrutinise people before retreating.

In the booklet "Wolves in Luxembourg?" one will find, among many other details about the wolf, rules of conduct that should be observed in the event of encountering a wolf. It can be obtained free of charge from the Naturverwaltung by tel: 402201-1 as well as in the visitor centres of the administration: Mirador in Steinfort, A Wiewesch in Manternach, Ellergronn in Esch-Alzette, Biodiversum in Remerschen and Burfelt near Insenborn.