European wolf population in the Czech republic

[Jana]

Once locally extinct European Wolf is slowly regaining its reign over Central Europe, including Czech republic.

Current situation:

1 breeding pack with 4 cubs confirmed by camera traps around town Doksy, in northern central Bohemia.
1 breeding pack with 2 cubs confirmed by camera traps around town Broumov, near Polish border.

Wolf observations and tracks were identified within practically all mountain ranges on Czech borders with Germany, Poland and Slovakia this year. They are either lone young animals wandering, or packs livinging abroad but visiting occasionally our country. Local authorities had to pay record amount for domestic animals killed by wolves.

Considering steady growth of observations of wandering animals in search of new teritory, Czech population is expected to increase significantly in near years. We will be wolf land again.

 

[DavidBrown]

Are people supportive of wolves coming back, Jana? Other than farmers, do people like wolves in the Czech Republic?

 

[vogelcommando]

Once locally extinct European Wolf is slowly regaining its reign over Central Europe, including Czech republic.

Current situation:

1 breeding pack with 4 cubs confirmed by camera traps around town Doksy, in northern central Bohemia.
1 breeding pack with 2 cubs confirmed by camera traps around town Broumov, near Polish border.

Wolf observations and tracks were identified within practically all mountain ranges on Czech borders with Germany, Poland and Slovakia this year. They are either lone young animals wandering, or packs livinging abroad but visiting occasionally our country. Local authorities had to pay record amount for domestic animals killed by wolves.

Considering steady growth of observations of wandering animals in search of new teritory, Czech population is expected to increase significantly in near years. We will be wolf land again.

Great to hear that the wolf is coming back in yet another European country ! Thanks for informing us Jana !

 

[Jana]

Are people supportive of wolves coming back, Jana? Other than farmers, do people like wolves in the Czech Republic?

Opinions are divided. Hunters dislike them and illegally shoot them - wolves are luckily very prolific breeders and can survive quite a lot of poaching. Animal farmers are half and half. General public opinion is cautiously positive I would say. Returning wolves don´t create any hystery, common people don´t worry about safety. If anything, wolves bring a little bit of exotic/adventurous feeling to hiking in countryside which is very popular activity here.

We already have lynxes back in our country and people got used to share space with top predators. And Slovakia (most popular tourist target for Czechs) has sizable populations of both wolves and bears, especially around favourite tourist destinations in Tatra/Fatra mountains.

 

[Nikola Chavkosk]

That's great to hear.

Appart from wolves in Czech Republic,

Here the situation in the R. of Macedonia was that few years ago, the wolves were protected species, but seemingly they caused damage to lifestock on many occasions and the protection status was withdrawn; Even once was a practice to subsidy the hunting of wolfes, for aproximately 50 euros/per killed wolf; I don't know for such current practice. However I disagree with withdrawn of the protection status, of these Southeast European wolf populations, known as Bosnian grey wolf as separated entity from the other populations in Europe, characterizing with more brown or amber fur colour.
It is estimated that about 1,100 wolves live in R. Macedonia (and about 350 brown bears). Once I hoped that some wolves will be relocated to other parts of Europe (like in Sweden), but that seems immposible due to little differences of these wolves here, not to call them subspecies but sepparated population.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

That's great to hear.

Appart from wolves in Czech Republic,

Here the situation in the R. of Macedonia was that few years ago, the wolves were protected species, but seemingly they caused damage to lifestock on many occasions and the protection status was withdrawn; Even once was a practice to subsidy the hunting of wolfes, for aproximately 50 euros/per killed wolf; I don't know for such current practice. However I disagree with withdrawn of the protection status, of these Southeast European wolf populations, known as Bosnian grey wolf as separated entity from the other populations in Europe, characterizing with more brown or amber fur colour.
It is estimated that about 1,100 wolves live in R. Macedonia (and about 350 brown bears). Once I hoped that some wolves will be relocated to other parts of Europe (like in Sweden), but that seems immposible due to little differences of these wolves here, not to call them subspecies but sepparated population.

Bosnian grey wolf are a subspecies of the Eurasian wolf Canis lupus. For good purposes, if any reintroduction might be contemplated, it would have to be one of the neighbouring countries with few or no wolves left.

BTW: the news from the Czech Republic is encouraging. I assume that the monitored packs may be just the "Tip of the Iceberg" as Jana indicated lone / vagrant wolves use other parts of the Czech Republic occasionally.

I would expect a similar time frame for reclaiming territories inside CZR as has happened in Germany. There is enough prey base, primarily roe deer and boar, in the CZR to enable a sustainable wolf population to exist and sufficient habitat and wild countryside to allow them the privacy they require (similar to lynx and wild cat).

I would think both the Doksy pack and the Broumov pack from are probably from the same expanding eastern Germany / Western Poland group.

Jana, since when have both these packs been confirmed in CZR? Has any genetic typing been done on which population they belong to?

 

[Jana]

The Doksy pack got their first documented cubs in 2014. Genetic analysis showed both parent animals came from lowland Germany/Poland.

Boumov pack is newly established and cubs were observed only few weeks ago. Genetic tests are running. It is 99% sure they come also from lowland Geermany/Poland.

 

[Jana]

Good news: a pack is forming in Šumava mountains on border between Czech republic and Bavaria. Photos and DNA tests prove a pair of wolves (from German/Polish population) met each other few weeks ago, move together and keep their territorium. We migth get cubs from them this spring!

 

[Jurek7]

Genetic testing also showed that wolves in Europe are surprisingly mobile. Breeding population in Germany has immigrants from both Eastern Europe and Italy, and there are many first-level relatives (siblings or parents-offspring) between Western and Eastern Europe.

 

[FunkyGibbon]

Genetic testing also showed that wolves in Europe are surprisingly mobile. Breeding population in Germany has immigrants from both Eastern Europe and Italy, and there are many first-level relatives (siblings or parents-offspring) between Western and Eastern Europe.

Is there much pressure on pack leaders to reduce immigration from Eastern Europe? I imagine they are taking all the best deer hunting opportunities from honest, hardworking German wolves....

 

[Jurek7]

Central Europe is 95% farmland and forests where wolves can live are like little islands tens or hundreds of kilometers apart. It is amazing how wolves can actually find them in a sea of fields and towns.

 

[Jana]

Different wolf populations have different life strategies and habitat requirements.

Lowland Polish/German wolves are smaller, lean oportunistic animals that prefer open fields, swamps and light woods. They avoid mountains. They burrow deep dens for their pups and have large litters, sometimes up to 12. They like smaller pray like roe deer, small boars, mouflons etc. They got used to people and villages nearby.

Carpathian Slovak wolves are large, conservative animals that prefer mountains and deep forests, they won´t spend much time in open space. They don´t burrow any dens for pups. Their litters are small and usually only 1, sometimes 2 youngs from each litter survive till winter. They love red deer, boars and beavers. They are sensitive to human disturbance.

 

[Pertinax]

They don´t burrow any dens for pups. Their litters are small and usually only 1, sometimes 2 youngs from each litter survive till winter. They love red deer, boars and beavers.

Interesting comparisons and contrasts between the Wolves from these different areas and habitats. But don't all Wolves dig burrows/dens to have their pups in? I thought it was an innate part of their breeding biology. Where do the Carpathian wolves have their young?

 

[Jana]

Interesting comparisons and contrasts between the Wolves from these different areas and habitats. But don't all Wolves dig burrows/dens to have their pups in? I thought it was an innate part of their breeding biology. Where do the Carpathian wolves have their young?

Slovak wolves (I don´t know about wolves from other parts of Carpathians) have their youngs between roots of fallen old trees, or in cracks between rocks or just on the ground in thick vegetation. They don´t dig burrows, they don´t use caves that are numerous in some areas, they don´t use dens built by bears.

 

[Yassa]

Central Europe is 95% farmland and forests where wolves can live are like little islands tens or hundreds of kilometers apart. It is amazing how wolves can actually find them in a sea of fields and towns.

That`s not true. Germany for example has a lot of forest, around 32 % of the country! These forests are all managed forests, they are neither old-grown nor untouched and people are never far, but they are full of wild boar and deer. Good condition for wolves as long as they can live with the proximity of humans, which they obviously can. Their reproductive sucess is stellar and the population is growing strongly, despite the loss of animals due to traffic and poaching.

 

[Jana]

Third confirmed breeding pack:

The wolf pair in Šumava/Bayerischer Wald national park has 3 cubs! Because their teritory lies at both sides of the border, I count them as both Bavarian and Czech.

On the other hand, there is still no definite proof of cubs with wolves living in south of Krušné Hory/Erzgebirge, near border with Saxony. Tracking in last winter showed presence of at least 3 wolves, we just have to wait.

 

[Jana]

Current update about Czech wolf population: Observations of migrating single wolves come from many places, but so far only 7 packs and 2 pairs are proven this year.

Doksy pack has bred again this year (5th year in a row), with 5 cubs.

Broumov pack breeding was confirmed too (3rd year in a row) with 4 cubs

Šumava pack is very quiet and invisible, no confirmed breeding this year, but one young wolf born there last year was killed on highway near Hamburg, another one settled in Thüringen and last one (female) seems to be still in Šumava and might pair next spring. The breeding male is from Alpine/Italian subspecies.

Albertamy pack has probably had their first cubs this year.

Šluknov pack also bred this year for the first time, part of territory is in Germany through.

Rousínov pair keeps territory but has no cubs so far.

Beskydy pack (near Slovak border) bred last year for the first time, with a single cub. They are of Carpathian subspecies.

Novohradské/Freiwald pack on Czech/Austrian border had cubs (4) for the first time last year, they are surprisingly pure Polish/German subspecies.

Třeboň has one stable pair, no breeding proved yet.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Thanks for the 2018 update. Wolf numbers and packs / pairs slowly increasing and surprisingly wide distribution.

What kind of monitoring and anti predation measures are in place?

 

[Brum]

Is there much pressure on pack leaders to reduce immigration from Eastern Europe? I imagine they are taking all the best deer hunting opportunities from honest, hardworking German wolves....

Just noticed this post and wanted to say it's brilliant, my tea has just come out of my nose I laughed that hard!

 

[Jana]

Thanks for the 2018 update. Wolf numbers and packs / pairs slowly increasing and surprisingly wide distribution.

What kind of monitoring and anti predation measures are in place?

Distribution of wolf packs scattered wildly all around makes sense when you look at human population density of the country. The most suitable (aka empty) habitat is in mountain ranges and swamps that circle our country and used to be inhabited mostly by ethic Germans. After 3mio of them were expelled after WII, not many people settled there anymore. When wolf population increases futher, I expect their range would create almost unbreaken chain circling our borders on all sides.

Monitoring is run by Hnutí DUHA, a local NGO that is interested in nature protection. However they dont produce nice distribution maps like you can find in Germany or Poland. But they publish some news from time to time. They also try to increase public awareness and give advice to farmers how to protect themselves.

Czech goverment pays damages caused by wolves (and other protected species) and on request they co-finance protective measures like e-fences and purchase of sheep-dogs.