Science - December 6, 2011

Wolves sighted in Ede forest

Two wolves have apparently been sighted in the forest in Ede by ecologist Lennart Suselbeek from Wageningen UR.

Suselbeek was driving in 'de Buunderkamp' forest with MSc student Margriet Krijn when they saw both animals. 'We were in the car on a forest path when we saw an animal standing at the side of the path about 75 metres away. We could not see clearly what it was. Only when it started walking did it strike us that it was not a familiar animal. It crossed the path, and a second one followed. They disappeared together into the forest.'
Wolfheze
According to Suselbeek, the animals are wolves. 'That's the only thought that comes to mind. But we have no proof; we did not take any photographs.' It happened too quickly for that. Suselbeek does not think that the animals were two big dogs which had been unleashed. 'That's quite improbable at that spot.' The animals were spotted in the Buunderkamp, a forest between Ede and Wolfheze, north of the railway track. Suselbeek has set up a hidden camera there. The camera is activated by movement.
Three times
The Wageningen PhD student does research in the Buunderkamp into how wild pigs affect the way in which forest mice stow away acorns. He reported his sighting on the website www.waarneming.nl. Earlier this year, three sightings have been made of wolves in Loenen, Montferland and Zevenaar. However, there is still a lack of conclusive proof. The latest sighting was the first time that two wolves have been spotted together and so far inland. Experts say it is just a matter of time before the wolf appears in the Netherlands.