Saxony's wolves provide data for research

Saxony also relies on the animals themselves to monitor its wolves. The State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology in Dresden announced that four wolves are currently providing data for scientific monitoring. New "on the transmitter" are two adult wolf pups that were captured during management and fitted with a collar transmitter. The animals concerned are also marked with an abbreviation.

Capture of "problem wolf" apparently successful

Wolf MT15 is a pup of the Großhennersdorf pack, which repeatedly attracted attention in the southern district of Görlitz through encounters with humans and showed no shyness. "For three weeks now, the transmitter data has shown that the wolf pup is mainly out and about at dusk and at night and is mainly in the forest," it said. There have been no reports of conspicuous sightings. As things stand at present, there are many indications that the deterrence could have been successful.

Wolf migrated from North Saxony to Saxony-Anhalt

A few days before Christmas, a male wolf pup (MT16) got caught in a net fence near Beilrode (district of North Saxony), according to the state office. The animal had also been fitted with a collar transmitter and has since been staying exclusively in Saxony-Anhalt in the Annaburger Heide. On Boxing Day, the wolf caused a stir when it was apparently foraging on a farm in the Jessen area and could only be chased away after a long time. The authorities in Saxony-Anhalt are currently examining further measures.

Transmitters provide information on wolf movements

Of the four wolves in Saxony that were fitted with a transmitter in spring 2025, two animals are currently still transmitting data. MT13, named "Ulli", roams extensively between existing territories as a floater. Male "Micha" (MT12) raised at least four pups together with his female in summer 2025, it was reported. Floaters are adult wolves that roam without their own territory.

Fae "Sofi" (FT18) managed to shed her collar four months after the transmitter was attached. "The carcass of the she-wolf was discovered at the beginning of October. She died of natural causes, presumably due to a serious injury sustained while hunting red deer," the state office announced.

"Mating problems" with male Jarek

Male "Jarek" (MT14) was still intensively caring for their offspring with "Sofi" in May, but then left the territory during the rearing of the pups, it added. Later images from photo traps showed that another male had disputed his position. Since then, MT14 has also been on the move as a floater. It has not been transmitting any data since mid-December.

Wolf monitoring is carried out by the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History in Görlitz and the Lupus Institute for Wolf Monitoring and Research in Germany on behalf of the State Environment Agency of Saxony. Radio telemetry is common practice in wildlife research. A collar transmitter is attached to the wolf under anaesthetic. This allows the location of the animal to be localized without having to disturb it.