Published: December 10, 2025 3:48 p.m
In Carinthia there have recently been a number of reports of shootings of “risk wolves”. In December alone, three animals were shot in the southernmost federal state. We spoke to the wolf representative from the state of Salzburg about the current situation in the state and whether it is comparable to the situation in Carinthia.
In the Carinthian district of Hermagor there were recently two cases within a few days in which a so-called “risk wolf” was shot by a hunter. This leaves questions unanswered as to what the current wolf population in Salzburg looks like and whether similar problems to those in Carinthia can also be expected here. The wolf representative from the state of Salzburg, Hannes Üblagger, spoke to SALZBURG24 about a more relaxed situation than in Carinthia.
Last proof in October
According to Üblagger, a wolf was last detected in Pfarrwerfen (Pongau) in mid-October through a DNA test on a cunning sheep in Salzburg. An animal also caused a stir in the summer when it attacked several sheep in July and was only killed in August in Maria Alm (Pinzgau). This was the only animal that was shot in Salzburg so far in 2025. However, there are more wolves in Salzburg. In October, ORF reported that 37 sheep had been killed by wolves in Salzburg so far this year. According to Üblagger, the exact figures for 2025 will be announced this year.
In any case, the wolf commissioner emphasizes today that the situation in Salzburg cannot be compared with that in Carinthia. “In Carinthia there are packs, but here there are only individual animals that move through,” explains Üblagger. In addition, there is currently no evidence that the wolf population in Salzburg could increase in the future. “But you can’t rule it out completely,” is how he describes the current situation. In Carinthia, 29 wolves have been shot since the regulation was introduced in 2022, twelve of them this year, reports the APA.
Common confusion
In an interview with S24, Hannes Üblagger also asks that you report any useful information about potential wolf sightings or cracks directly to him. “It’s best to use photos and videos,” he explains. It is much easier to understand the situation with visual evidence. He concludes that false alarms often occur because, for example, huskies are confused with wolves.
(Source: salzburg24)
