Two wolves approach farms in the Mühlviertel region during the day

The state's monitoring currently assumes 30 to 40 wolves throughout the entire federal state of Upper Austria. The authorities view the incidents as part of this development.

Young animals react less shyly

Special attention is drawn to young animals, which, according to Engleder-Öhler, do not immediately retreat at the sight of humans and vehicles. This curiosity can lead to encounters such as those now reported.

Farmers and residents in Peilstein and Ottenschlag became aware of the animals' behavior because the approaches happened during the day. Wolves normally avoid humans; repeated daytime observations are therefore documented separately.

Engleder-Öhler did not rule out that further deterrent measures could also include culling. Initially, however, deterrence measures are the priority in order to keep the animals at a distance.

Possible deterrent culling

The incidents are part of a series of observations registered by the State of Upper Austria since the beginning of the year. In other regions of Upper Austria as well, individual wolves have been sighted approaching human settlements.

For the affected farms, the encounters mean an additional burden during an already labor-intensive summer. According to the state, the protection of pasture animals such as sheep and goats continues to be ensured through livestock protection measures.

Further action by the authorities

Engleder-Öhler pointed out that cooperation with farmers, hunters, and authorities is crucial in order to better assess the behavior of individual animals. Reports from the population will be incorporated into the ongoing monitoring.

The State of Upper Austria announced that it would provide information on further steps should the situation escalate. Until then, the guiding principle is to document every incident precisely and to take no hasty measures.