Overview
- The Bundestag held a first reading on January 14 of a government bill to list the wolf as a huntable species and sent it to the Agriculture, Nutrition and Homeland Committee for revisions.
- The draft allows Länder to authorize hunting where the species is in favorable conservation status, sets a July 1 to October 31 season, and lets states designate areas such as alpine pastures or dikes where protection is impractical.
- Ministers cite more than 200 wolf packs and roughly 1,100 incidents with about 4,300 livestock killed or injured in 2024, while promising continued funding for fences and guardian dogs.
- Farming and hunting lobbies back broader controls, with proposals such as culling about 40% of juvenile wolves and easier year-round removal of problem animals.
- Greens, Left and conservation groups argue routine hunting is ineffective and risks destabilizing packs, as the AfD praises the draft as a step in the right direction.