Overview
- The environment ministry said a wolf found near Großbreitenbach was shot, citing a forensic exam by the Leibniz Institute, and it filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors.
- Walkers discovered the decomposed carcass near a path, a pond, and a hunting stand, and the local mayor noted a wound near the heart that suggests the animal may have been killed elsewhere and dumped.
- This case is the third known illegal wolf shooting in the state, following finds in November 2023 near Hämbach and August 2025 near Jesuborn, with no suspects publicly identified.
- Wolf expert Silvester Tamás and NABU Thuringia call for a dedicated state unit to investigate such crimes, arguing Germany solves almost none of these cases compared with far higher rates in parts of Italy and Spain.
- Wolves are protected in Germany and may only be shot under narrow rules, and the state estimates about 30 animals live in Thuringia, so a single killing can disrupt local packs.