For several years now, there has been an increasing number of confirmed wolf sightings in Austria. So far, most wolves have been transients, making only brief visits to our country, with isolated attacks on livestock. Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict or calculate where the next wolf might pass through and attack our farm animals. Looking at the attacks of recent years, they often occurred in valleys along migration routes from south to north or vice versa.

Grazing begins on the livestock's home pastures, where the animals are fenced. In the future, a fence will no longer be judged by its containment capabilities, but rather by its ability to prevent large predators from entering. Many farmers already use electrified fences, which also offer the best protection against large predators. With minimal effort, these fences can provide a minimum level of herd protection. For electric netting, it's crucial to ensure a direct connection to the ground; for wire fences, the distance of the first wire from the ground is important. A continuous and sufficient power supply is essential; not only do our grazing animals need to learn that "the fence hurts," but so do wolves. If wolves only find protected livestock, they will move on and seek food in the wild.

Note: Webinar by the Styrian Nature Conservation Academy on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 
on the topic of pasture culture & herding tradition and their effects