A wolf was spotted on Tuesday morning in the north of Flemish Brabant and in the province of Antwerp, said Jan Loos member of the ASBL Welcome wolf. The animal probably comes from the Netherlands and would have arrived in the vicinity of Schriek (Antwerp), Keerbergen and Haacht (Flemish Brabant) via Sint-Job-in-‘t-Goor. It is indeed in this town located between Antwerp and the Dutch border that the wolf was spotted on Sunday. It disappeared from radar on Monday, but on Tuesday morning, six messages from people who had seen a wolf reached the ASBL: one mention in Schriek, three in Keerbergen and two in Haacht. The last report came in around noon.
Mr. Loos strongly suspects that it is indeed the same animal, even if only a DNA study of one of the wolf’s victims could remove the doubt. No mention of killed prey has come in recent days.
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The expert thinks it is a young itinerant wolf less than two years old, probably descended from a couple from Germany, the Netherlands or France. It seems to be looking for a partner and a habitat. There is little chance that he will settle in Flemish Brabant or in the province of Antwerp because there are too few large calm spaces and little varied food, explains Jan Loos. The latter still advises breeders in these regions to take good care of their herd for the next 24 hours and to protect the young.
Also in Flemish Brabant, footprints probably left by a wolf were discovered in Lubbeek and Bierbeek last weekend. A wolf had been filmed in this province on December 30, 2021 when a specimen crossed the Meerdaalboslaan in Heverlee. It was then the first time in more than two centuries that a wolf had been observed in Flemish Brabant. Testimonies from Landen had also arrived at the same period.
Welkom Wolf asks to send any observations by telephone (+32 495 32 53 30) or by e-mail (wolven@landschapvzw.be).