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Germany's Wolf Population Levels Off at 276 Territories as Bavaria Probes Carcass Cases

Fresh monitoring underscores regional divergence, with police scrutinizing carcass cases in Bavaria.

Overview

  • Federal monitoring for 2024/25 confirms 276 wolf territories nationwide—219 packs, 43 pairs and 14 territorial singles—with at least 1,636 animals recorded.
  • Authorities logged 163 wolf deaths in the monitoring year, including 124 from traffic and 16 confirmed illegal killings, alongside a small number of management removals.
  • Brandenburg reports fewer packs and territories year over year, falling to 54 packs and 6 pairs across 60 territories from 73 previously.
  • Saxony describes a stable presence of 35 packs, 10 pairs and one lone female, with most territories centered in Upper Lusatia and 17 deaths recorded, largely from collisions.
  • Bavarian figures show fewer territories as police investigate two carcass cases: one man is suspected of staging a death after transporting a wolf from the Czech Republic and has been suspended from a state network, while a separate case in Upper Franconia involves a shot juvenile; conservation groups have voiced poaching concerns.