More wolf attacks recorded in Saxony through the summer

As of this summer, Saxony has recorded more wolf attacks on livestock than during the same period last year. The damage statistics from the Wolf Unit at the State Office for the Environment, Agriculture, and Geology list 73 cases as of the end of July in which a wolf is considered “reasonably certain” to be the culprit. During the same period last year, there were 57 cases. The districts of Bautzen and Görlitz have been particularly affected.

The period when most wolf attacks occur has only just begun. According to the statistics, these are the months of September and October. In the fall, wolf pups are about three months old and have increased nutritional needs.

200 animals killed

The number of animals killed in wolf attacks so far is slightly higher than last year’s. Most of the victims are sheep, but goats, cattle, and other animals are also affected. From January through July 2026, 200 animals were counted as killed. During the same period in 2025, there were 197 dead animals. Throughout 2025, 161 wolf attacks were reported, resulting in the deaths of 431 animals.

Wolf attacks in which many animals are killed at once occur time and again. For example, 17 dead sheep were counted in Neißeaue in the Görlitz district in early February. In mid-June, 12 sheep were killed in Wittichenau in the Bautzen district.

According to the Wolf Damage Compensation Office, some of the affected livestock owners met the minimum requirements for protecting their animals, while others did not. For sheep and goats, electric fences must be at least 90 centimeters high and operate at 2,000 volts. For permanent fences, a height of at least 120 centimeters is required. Compliance with these minimum protection standards is a prerequisite for livestock owners to receive compensation following wolf attacks.

Saxony is one of the federal states with the highest wolf populations

According to the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Saxony ranks among the federal states with the highest wolf populations, alongside Brandenburg and Lower Saxony. According to the latest monitoring data, there are 219 wolf packs in Germany, with the largest numbers—54 each—in Brandenburg and Lower Saxony, and 35 in Saxony. In addition, there are 43 wolf pairs and 14 resident solitary wolves nationwide. New figures for the 2025/2026 monitoring year will be published in the fall.