Austria’s Rising Wolf Population: Record Numbers and Culling Debates

Vienna, April 17, 2026 – The number of wolves in Austria has risen to 121 individuals, marking a record high despite fewer wolf packs and reduced offspring observed in recent monitoring, according to the latest national wildlife report.

The Austria Bear, Wolf, Lynx Centre (Österreichzentrum Bär, Wolf, Luchs) released its annual status report on wolf populations in Austria, confirming that 121 individual wolves were documented in 2025, an increase from 102 recorded in 2024. The data was compiled from monitoring efforts conducted by the country’s federal states.

The wolf population in Austria continues to grow, even as the number of packs and successful breeding events shows a downward trend.

Austria Bear, Wolf, Lynx Centre

In 2024, nine wolf packs were confirmed nationwide, with four of them producing offspring. However, the 2025 report indicates a decline in both the number of packs and the number of pups born, despite the overall increase in individual wolves detected.

The rise in individual wolf numbers is attributed to increased dispersal from neighboring populations and improved detection methods, rather than natural population growth through reproduction within Austria.

Despite the growing wolf presence, livestock losses caused by wolves have continued to decline for the second consecutive year. The reduction is primarily due to fewer attacks on sheep and goats, with the federal states of Tyrol and Carinthia still reporting the highest levels of damage, though even there, a downward trend is evident.

The Austria Bear, Wolf, Lynx Centre emphasized that its role as the national coordination body for large carnivore management remains focused on evidence-based monitoring and herd protection strategies, working independently and in collaboration with state authorities.

The findings come amid ongoing public and political debate over wolf management in Austria, including discussions about regulated culling and the balance between species conservation and agricultural interests.