Authorities say wolves are officially back in the Netherlands, two centuries after the animals were hunted to extinction in the country, after a pair produced a litter in the wild.
The province of Gelderland posted a video online showing three young wolves in a forest clearing. The province did not reveal the exact location of the footage, saying it does not want people to disturb the animals.
Michiel van der Weide, a wolf expert for nature protection organization Natuurmonumenten, called confirmation of the wolf’s return to the Netherlands “fantastic news.”
Van der Weide said Thursday that the animals pose virtually no risk to humans. Local authorities are working with farmers to protect livestock such as sheep and goats from wolves.
The wolves originally come from eastern Germany.