At a time when the wolf population has been eradicated in many European countries, Latvia has prided itself on a stable population of these alpha predators, which, furthermore, has been 'managed' throughout all these years, though very strict conditions for the legal hunting of wolves have only been in place since 2004.
For a long time, the wolf was considered endangered in Europe, but it has now returned, and the number of wolves in many countries is growing rapidly. This, of course, has been achieved by implementing and adhering to strict species conservation principles, which are evidently working. The same applies to other large carnivore species – bears and lynx – and as facts show, at least one large carnivore species now lives in 21 EU member states.
Biodiversity is important, and it is great to realise that wolves, lynx, and bears are returning to European forests; however, with the increase in the number of these large predators, problems often arise from the conflict between the habitat and food needs of these majestic animals and human economic interests. Living in an urban environment, it is difficult to imagine the problems a livestock farmer faces if, in a single night, a pack of wolves, while training their young, kills and injures up to 18 sheep.
How big a problem is the damage?
In Germany, the wolf population has grown steadily since 2000, when the first litter of wolf pups was born in the country. It is estimated that there are over 600 wolves in the country. Spain, France, Poland, and Finland also have stable and growing wolf populations, the first wolves have been spotted in Denmark, wolves are also found in Italy and Portugal, and one cannot speak of wolves being endangered in the Balkan region. In Sweden, the number of wolves increased over a few decades, but has decreased again in recent years; however, there is much talk about the losses caused by these animals.
As the number of wolves increases, the damage caused also rises. For example, in Spain, 1,977 attacks on livestock were recorded last year, 88% of which were confirmed as wolf attacks. 2,963 livestock animals were killed, and about 850 thousand euros were paid in compensation. It is believed that the volume of compensation will grow to 1.8 million euros in 2018. In Germany, meanwhile, the total damage over the last 17 years does not exceed 500 thousand euros, which, compared to the damage caused by other species, such as ungulates, is not much. Looking at the figures, in 2015, the total damage caused by wild animals in Germany was measured at 653 million euros. In Poland, an estimated population of about 1,500 individual wolves kills up to 1,200 livestock animals each year. In France, in 2015, a population of about 300 wolves killed about ten thousand sheep.
The Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) Species Conservation Plan, updated in 2018, mentions that 1,655 domestic animals were killed in Estonia over a four-year period (2007-2010). Between 2003 and 2005, several dogs were killed in Estonia.
Regarding Latvia, the State Forest Service (VMD) has compiled data on damage caused by large predators since 2013. During these years, wolves, lynx, and unidentified predators have killed 511 sheep and injured 203. Cattle, goats, and dogs have also suffered. It should be noted that farmers have complained that the process of registering damage is time-consuming and bureaucratic, which is why they often do not report predator attacks.
If we draw parallels with data from other countries, we stand out in that the damage caused by wolves in Latvia is relatively small in numerical terms. Even if all killed livestock were reported 100%, we would hardly reach the volumes seen in other countries. Therefore, one of the arguments from animal lovers is seemingly logical – why continue hunting wolves if there is no damage?
But perhaps it is precisely because we control the number of wolves that our damage volumes are not as high?
The Latvian system
Before we talk about limiting the number of wolves, it must be emphasised that wolves must exist in the Latvian wild – there is no doubt about that! If we speak of control, it is certainly not the eradication of the wolf as a species! This must be remembered! One aspect that distinguishes our situation from other European countries is that the wolf has always been hunted in Latvia. It is possible that this very aspect has protected us from thousands of sheep being killed and dogs being mauled.
Monitoring of large predators has been carried out in Latvia since at least 2004, studying wolf and lynx populations. Each year, based on collected materials and DNA tests, the maximum hunting volume is determined and strictly enforced. A report must be drawn up for every wolf hunted, and the information must be submitted to the State Forest Service. At the end of the season, or when the limit is almost exhausted, the VMD strictly monitors it to ensure it is not exceeded. At the same time, it is our duty to report regularly to the European Commission on how the system in Latvia works and on the state of the wolf population. An advantage of the Latvian system is that it is possible to react very quickly to negative changes in the population, by either reducing or completely stopping the control of individuals. The good news: currently, the wolf population in Latvia is stable, while the lynx population is stable and growing. Therefore, no negative impact of hunting is observed at the moment. What we do observe in Latvia: wolves tend to attack farm animals, especially in August, yet these volumes are not huge.
It is difficult to determine the volume of damage in monetary terms because, as farmers claim, prices are volatile every year for both breeding and meat 'stock'. The price of an animal can vary greatly depending on the breed of sheep and the status of the farm. For example, the price of a ewe can range from 200 to 350 euros, while the price of a breeding ram can be from 350 to 800 euros. If the state were to set a compensation for killed sheep, for example, at 200 euros, it would not cover the economic and moral damage caused to the farmer. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for a dozen or more sheep to be killed in a single attack.
Solution
There is increasingly talk in the EU about coexistence with large predators, which would mean mutual respect – human towards beast and vice versa. It is impossible to completely eradicate attacks on farm animals; livestock farmers must ensure various protective measures against predator attacks by taking care of animal welfare. Often, the costs of these measures are so high that it is not profitable to keep livestock. Therefore, it is important to find a compromise between 'the sheep is alive and the wolf is fed'. With controlled and sustainable hunting, it seems we have achieved such a compromise in Latvia. It must be said that one of the advantages of legal hunting is obtaining accurate information about the animals hunted – the location and time of hunting; the wolf is studied, the fertility of the female is determined, and a DNA test is carried out. In this way, it is possible to obtain very thorough scientific information, which is vital for the study of the population. Currently, by limiting or even stopping hunting, it is difficult to predict what the outcome will be in the short and long term. Nature cannot take care of itself, because humans have entered nature with socio-economic interests, and as soon as these are affected, the wolf will no longer be a priority. The question is: would farmers, mushroom pickers, and dog owners be ready for such an experiment?
It should be noted that there have not been any wolf attacks on humans in Latvia for a long time, whereas this year wolves have already attacked ten people in Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, and Iran, and in only one case was it found that the animal was infected with rabies. In Romania, where large predator hunting was halted two years ago, the volume of damage and the number of bear attacks on humans increased significantly in a short time. As a result, a plan has been developed under which bear hunting will be reinstated.
The world has changed. From an animal destined for extermination, the wolf has become a protected and respected alpha predator, but where hunting is prohibited, desperate farmers often take control into their own hands and destroy entire packs to prevent damage, often even poisoning the wolves. That is not, and must not be, a solution! It is important to obtain information, carry out species monitoring, and implement sustainable species control. By combining all this with protection measures, it will be possible to achieve a reasonable and acceptable model of coexistence for farm animals.