Germany welcomes wolf pack invasion from Poland

A family of six grey wolves has taken up residence on the range in Saxony, 60 miles from Berlin, after swimming across the River Oder from Poland.

The pack’s arrival was first reported last year, when it was revealed that border guards’ infra-red cameras had picked up increasing numbers of wolves coming over from Poland, where their habitat is squeezed by industry, farming and urban expansion. The German government has now confirmed the presence of the pack. Moreover, it is proud of these immigrants and is keen to protect them from their only enemy - man.

The task is made easier by the swathe of forest the wolves have chosen to make their home. It could hardly be a better place to avoid hordes of hunters seeking an exotic trophy. The area is the site of the military range at Oberlausitz, a 6,000-acre exercise area, access to which is strictly controlled - except to wolves. Also the roar of tank engines and the booming of guns might scare off even the most determined human predators - but doesn’t bother the wolves.

Naturalists say the animals have quickly learned that the noise stops in the afternoon and the night belongs to them. "The wolves feel so at home precisely because so few people are allowed to enter the training area," said Rolf Rger, head of forestry for the region.

The traffic across the Oder appears to be one way. German forests are replete with wildlife to sustain wolves including deer, foxes, wild boar and mice.

Germany’s gain is Poland’s loss. There are only an estimated 500 wolves left in the country, most of them in protected parks. "It’s as if they have read a tourist brochure and know why they want to come here," said Klaus Seewald, a German wolf enthusiast. "Who knows what draws them?

"They have an instinct as old as time. When NATO was bombing Belgrade three years ago, the [Yugoslav] military authorities didn’t rely on modern technology to warn of approaching planes. They went to the zoo where the wolves began howling and pacing hours before the first warplane was overhead. They knew and were right every time."

Authorities have confirmed the pack has had two pups. "They can look after their young but we have to look after them," said Mr Rger. "No-one is allowed to shoot at them in this area. All hunters are informed of their presence and are told they are strictly off limits."

The Saxony Association of Sheep Breeders has come out on the side of the wolf, saying it does not think that, with electric fences, their flocks are endangered by the wolves.

The animals can also be beneficial to humans - even hunters. Lyme disease, carried by deer ticks, is rife in German forests. Bites from the ticks can make humans ill, but the insects also feed on deer, weakening them. Wolves will prey on the weakened deer, leaving healthier specimens for hunters.