Herselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – CD&V’s Mien Van Olmen urges expanding the wolf risk zone beyond Geel to 9 towns after a calf’s death in Herselt, but expert Jan Denaghel says proof of regular wolf activity is lacking.
As VRT News reported, CD&V politician Mien Van Olmen, a member of the Flemish Parliament from Geel, is again asking for the whole Merode region to be added to the official wolf risk zone after the Herselt, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, calf kill. Only Geel is in that zone, but she wants it to also include Westerlo, Laakdal, Herselt, Hulshout, Tessenderlo, Diest, Aarschot, and Scherpenheuvel-Zichem.
She mentioned that if these places are added, it will not only be a name on a map. Van Olmen says she will speak again to Jo Brouns (CD&V), the Flemish Minister for Agriculture and Nature, to push for the change and says it is now more important than ever to protect these areas.
What will it take to expand the wolf risk zone south of the Albert Canal?
Laakdal alderman Stein Voet supports Mien Van Olmen’s call to widen the wolf risk zone. He says more wolves have been seen in the Merode area in recent months. The issue was already raised with Minister Jo Brouns, but he said action would come only if another attack happened.
Last week, a calf was found dead in Herselt, likely killed by a wolf. The Agency for Nature and Forests is checking what caused the attack. Farmers say they are worried for their animals and that fencing to keep wolves out is too costly. Van Olmen and Voet now say this case proves the zone should be expanded quickly before more animals are lost.
The wolf risk zone now ends at the Albert Canal. Towns north of the canal are already in the zone, but those south of it are not. Local officials say the canal is not stopping wolves, and that the animals are slowly moving further. They want the extra towns added for better protection. Authorities say they are watching closely and ask people to report wolf sightings or livestock attacks on the website wildinzicht.be.
Wildlife expert Jan Denaghel says the wolf pack in Hechtel-Eksel is not likely to grow into new areas for now. He explained that a single wolf might sometimes pass through other places, but there is no solid proof that this is happening near Herselt.
Because of this, he says the wolf risk zone cannot yet be moved further south of the canal. The rules only allow an expansion when there is regular and confirmed wolf activity, and Denaghel says that proof is not there at the moment.
