Jānis Ozoliņš, a researcher at the Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", reports that the wolf population in Latvia has doubled over the last twenty years. The reason is the increasing number of ungulates, which are a food source for wolves. Furthermore, wolf hunting has been restricted for many years. The zoologist stressed that the number of attacks on livestock will not decrease if farmers do not protect their animals.

"Attacks are not subsiding and will not subside if livestock owners do not invest in protecting their animals. You can build an electric fence, as they do in Estonia. You can buy trained guard dogs. There are various methods, but as far as is known, those owners who have lost sheep have not used any of these methods," he explained.

Arvīds Ozols, Director of the Forest Department at the Ministry of Agriculture (ZM), pointed out that livestock farmers must certainly report wolf attacks to the State Forest Service. The information obtained will allow them to monitor the trend of wolf attacks.

If it is increasing and if it can be linked to an increase in the number of wolves, then the service will be able to adjust the wolf hunting quota. Ozols admitted that livestock farmers do not always report, so the service cannot determine the true trend of wolf attacks. On the other hand, sheep farmer Aija Šneidere explained that livestock farmers are emotionally devastated when they see their slaughtered animals, and therefore do not tend to contact the State Forest Service.

"There is neither the strength nor the capacity to report to state institutions, from which there is usually also a reproach, asking why you do not ensure animal welfare, why they have to suffer like this. And the farmers are afraid," explained Šneidere.