North Rhine-Westphalia wolf shooting permit case heads to state court

A male wolf, referred to as Milan (catalogue number GW1896m), was linked to the killing of 35 sheep and lambs in the municipality of Wenden, Kreis Olpe, in North Rhine‑Westphalia. The district hunting authority granted a shooting permit on 12 June, with the approval of the NRW Ministry of Agriculture, to apply the recently amended federal hunting law that allows wolves to be removed to prevent agricultural damage.

The Nature Conservation Initiative filed an urgent application, and the Verwaltungsgericht (administrative court) in Arnsberg suspended the permit, deeming it disproportionate and incompatible with EU law, particularly the Habitats Directive (FFH‑Richtlinie). Kreis Olpe appealed the decision, and the case has now been referred to the Oberverwaltungsgericht (OVG) of North Rhine‑Westphalia, which has not yet set a hearing date. The court noted that milder measures, such as enhanced herd‑protection by livestock owners, could mitigate future wolf‑related damage.