Credit: Pixabay
On Thursday 5 March 2026, Luxembourg's Nature and Forest Agency (ANF) announced that the presence of a wolf had recently been confirmed in the Wincrange area.
At the end of February 2026, the ANF discovered that five sheep in a pasture near Wincrange had been killed by a predator, while two others were injured. As a wolf could not be ruled out as the culprit based on the expert report from the ANF, samples were taken from the sheep and genetic analyses were initiated for verification. The laboratory analyses have since confirmed that a wolf was responsible for killing the animals. It is not yet known whether the animal is still in Luxembourg or was simply passing through.
The ANF noted that confirmed sightings of individual wolves have occurred regularly in Luxembourg since 2017, although no pack has established itself in the country. Wolf packs have been living in neighbouring countries for several years, including in the High Fens in Belgium and in the Netherlands. Two additional pairs of wolves live in the Belgian Ardennes, not far from the Luxembourg border.
The authorities recalled that wolves generally avoid direct contact with humans. Encounters between humans and wolves are therefore very rare, but not impossible. Wolves typically retreat as soon as they notice a person, but they may also be curious and observe the person briefly before leaving. Guidelines on how to behave in the event of encountering a wolf, as well as the Wolf Action Plan, are available online.
The ANF has asked the public to directly report any possible signs of wolf presence by email: wolf@anf.etat.lu.
