Five cubs have been spotted this year in a wolf pack present in the province of Limburg, the Flemish Research Institute for Nature and Forests (INBO) said on Monday afternoon via Twitter.
The institute believes that the wolf Noëlla may have given birth to them at the end of April.
“It is possible that more young wolves have been born, but only five of them have been able to be observed by our cameras and those of the Flemish Agency for Nature and Forests (ANB) so far,” notes Koen Van Muylem, spokesperson for the INBO. “Last year, Noëlla gave birth to nine cubs. This is quite common, but sometimes not all of them survive and some are hit by cars.”
The territory occupied by the Limburg wolf pack has a number of dangerous areas, particularly around motorways, although major efforts have been made in recent years to secure the animals’ crossing points. “Many measures have already been taken in Limburg, but it is impossible to rule out all risks,” stresses Van Muylem.
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No images have so far been taken of the young wolves born in Belgium last year. “Cubs often leave the territory in which they were born, because their parents no longer tolerate their presence once they reach adulthood. It is therefore possible that these animals have moved to another region, although there is no certainty about this.”
As for the five cubs that were able to be filmed, they look active and healthy. “In the autumn, the first of them will be able to leave the pack,” explains the INBO spokesman.
