Few animals are as adaptable as the wolf, which boasts one of the widest distributions of any land carnivore. Wolves were eradicated from many areas of Europe in the 19th century after prolonged persecution, but they have staged a comeback in recent decades. Today, there are thought to be at least 12,000 wolves roaming the continent, and their numbers are increasing.
Europe’s growing wolf population, often organised in family groups of parents and their offspring of the year, is competing with people for space and resources, occasionally killing livestock, dogs and prized game. Young wolves typically leave after one or two years and try to establish a family of their own. As wolves in central Europe expand their range, they’re increasingly moving into more heavily cultivated rural areas.
One of these is the Jutland peninsula, which is part of Denmark and the northernmost German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. There are lots of sheep here, mostly kept in fenced enclosures, and very little forest. This means that most wolves entering the area have a hard time finding somewhere to settle. The first wolf in Jutland was recorded in 2007, and there were probably fewer than five entering the area each year until 2014. In 2021, 17 wolves were recorded.
