Risk of forest: Wolf follows riders at Greifenstein for over 20 minutes!

Risk of forest: Wolf follows riders at Greifenstein for over 20 minutes!

On December 29, 2024, two riders, Anika Haas and Marion Mutz, experienced an alarming encounter with a wolf in the forest near Greifenstein, in the Lahn-Dill district. Before the riders noticed the wolf, they were on a ride with their horses and two dogs. The situation quickly escalated when the wolf appeared behind them and followed it over a period of more than 20 minutes. A video documented the action in which the riders shouted out loud to scare away the animal. This sighting was later confirmed by the Hessian wolf center after an in-depth analysis of the video, such as merkur.de

The riders made it clear that they felt fear due to the size of the animal. Moritz Frey von Hessenforst explained that wolves often observe the situation closely and do not perceive riders on horses as a threat. The Greifenstein Wolfsterritritrita, one of six in Hesse, has been categorized since the monitoring year 2022/23, with sporadic wolves in the region since around 2020. In recent years, a total of five wolf territories have been identified in Hesse, including Greifenstein as an individual animal.

behavioral adjustments and recommendations

The reactions of the riders after the event were different. While Anika Haas avoids the forest from then on, Marion Mutz only goes into the forests with pepper spray and is still scared. The Hessian wolf center made it clear that the encounter, due to the behavior, which is classified as “wolf -typical”, was rather rare, but not to be classified as dangerous. It was also pointed out that the riders should stay calm in the situation, make noise and slowly withdraw.

The assessment of the wolf behavior is relevant in view of the general debate about dealing with wolves. This debate was carried out intensively, particularly in the run -up to the 2023 state election. The wolf, which falls under the protection of the Federal Nature Conservation Act in Hesse, was considered extinct in Germany about 150 years ago. However, the species has been able to return through targeted protective measures since the 1990s.

wolves in Hesse

The first proven returned wolf in Hesse was found in the Reinhardswald in 2008. Since then, the Hessian wolf monitoring has been continuously dealing with the recording of wolfsterritories. In the current balance sheet, a total of 48 wolf territories are known in the monitoring year 2024/25, including 42 packs and 4 territorial individual animals. The wolf in Greifenstein has so far been classified as not behavioral, although the region has an increase in crack finds, which requires a certain level of sensitivity for possible wolf contacts.

The Hessian wolf center has also signaled that the wolf in Hesse has recently also falls under hunting law, but this initially has no concrete effects on protection status. These developments are still being followed closely, while the population in the region is sensitized to ensure safer encounters with wolves. The riders experience a challenging time because they have to deal with the fears of their security and respect for the returning wolves that are part of Hessian nature. In the sense of the biotope and the wildlife, an informed discussion about the protection and dealing with wolves will be essential.