Wolf attacks on livestock: what to do in the first hours

Wolves have attacked livestock on two farms in Salamanca and one in Lugo, in north-western Spain, over the past two weeks. The Spanish rules on reporting these attacks are a useful checklist for any livestock keeper living near wolves: deadlines are short, and the evidence has to stay where it fell.

What happened

In this part of Spain, sheep, cattle and pigs often graze outdoors for much of the year. According to the Salamanca branch of ASAJA, a Spanish farmers’ union, two farms in the province were attacked between 24 and 30 September. At one, in Almendra, two sheep and the mastiff guarding the flock were killed, three sheep were injured and two more are missing. At the other, an Iberian pig farm in La Vádima de Arriba, there were three attacks in a single week, with four pigs dead and two injured. The union is asking the authorities for urgent measures.

In Mondoñedo, in the Galician province of Lugo, a farmer lost ten sheep in one night, local radio station COPE Lugo reported. They were in a netted enclosure with a night shelter, about 500 metres from a neighbourhood of the town.

Wolf attacks on livestock: what you can do

In Spain, compensation is handled by each region. These are the rules in the two regions where the attacks happened:

• Castilla y León. Report the attack to the provincial environment office within 48 hours, by any means that leaves a record, including the regional 012 phone line. Officials visit the farm and, once they have issued their report, you have one month to apply online, one application per attack (Order MAV/475/2023).
• Galicia. Call 012. Extensive and semi-extensive farms have three working days; intensive farms have 24 hours. You get a case code and then one month to apply.
• Don’t move the dead animals. Both sets of rules ask for this so inspectors can confirm a wolf was responsible. Injured animals may get essential veterinary care.
• Take photos of the animals, the fence and the area, with date and time.
• Count the missing. The rules we read cover dead and injured animals, not missing ones. Report them anyway and ask how they are treated.
• Prevention pays. Both regions add 10% to the payment if you have effective protection in place, such as guard dogs or electric fencing.

If you farm elsewhere in Europe, find out your own reporting deadline now, from your local agricultural office or farmers’ union. Don’t wait for an attack to learn it.

What Montered does

Montered doesn’t track the animals themselves: there are good systems for that already. What we’re building for livestock farms watches water, electric fences and gates, and sends an alert to your phone if the fence voltage drops or a gate is left open, even where the farm has no mobile coverage. No fees, ever. If you’d like to try it on your land, join the waitlist.

Frequently asked questions

How long do Spanish farmers have to report a wolf attack? 48 hours in Castilla y León. In Galicia, three working days for extensive farms and 24 hours for intensive ones. Other regions set their own deadlines.

Can I remove the dead animals? Not until the inspection has taken place. Injured animals may receive essential veterinary care.

Do guard dogs or electric fences make a difference? Besides protecting the flock, in Castilla y León and Galicia effective prevention measures add 10% to the compensation.