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Wolves in Lower Saxony: Lüneburg remains the hotspot for pack growth!
Lower Saxony will record an increase in wolf packs and livestock raids in 2025. Current data shows 64 territories and 100 incursions.
Wolves in Lower Saxony: Lüneburg remains the hotspot for pack growth!
The wolf population is on the rise in Lower Saxony. According to the State newspaper There are now more wolves alive than last year. The current status shows that a total of 59 wolf packs were counted at the end of the third quarter of 2024, which represents an increase of three packs compared to the previous year. The number of wolf territories also increased from 63 to 64. The Lüneburg and Harburg districts in particular are hot spots where around a dozen wolves were spotted.
However, the wind is changing: In the Cuxhaven district there are alarming developments with regard to livestock injuries. The district has overtaken the Lüneburg region in officially identified cracks. In the third quarter of 2024, 100 attacks on farm animals were registered nationwide; 200 animals were killed, 101 were injured and 5 are considered missing. Sheep are the most commonly affected animals, followed by cattle and horses.
Status of wolf territories and encroachments
In the Lüneburg district in particular, there were four verifiable wolf attacks in the third quarter of 2024, including the incident at Tosterglope, where three goats were killed and one was injured. The numbers are not new: a total of 251 attacks have been registered in the Lüneburg district since 2008 - the highest number in Lower Saxony. But the situation in the Cuxhaven district is getting worse, with 21 attacks recently reported. “The topic is becoming increasingly explosive,” emphasized the experts Lower Saxony State Hunting Association.
The development is worrying, but an increase in wolf detections can also be observed. More than 1,838 reports of wolf occurrences were registered in Lower Saxony in the third quarter of 2025. The majority of this evidence – exactly 88.94% – comes from hunters. 54.08% of the reports are based on camera trap recordings, which have established themselves as a reliable method for monitoring wolves.
The future of wolves in Lower Saxony
The monitoring shows that the number of proven wolf territories in Lower Saxony has increased by an average of 47.46% annually since 2011/2012. This growth rate exceeds the national average of approximately 28.66%. Experts explain this with the migration of wolves from other federal states, which are establishing new territories in Lower Saxony. This dynamic development raises the question of how cooperation between nature conservation and livestock farmers can be structured in the future.
So the wolf situation remains tense. It is up to society to find ways to give wolves space without losing sight of agricultural concerns. As nature takes its course, civil society must also take action.