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Slovakia at a glance

Main prey for wolves here are roe deer, red deer (elk) and wild boar. Wolf range is approximately 40 to 50 percent of the map shown. Range lines are not depicted in the map above.

The Wolves and Humans Foundation wrote this summary of wolves in Slovakia on their website: “The wolf occurs in around 40% of Slovakia, with highest concentrations in the mountainous northern, central and eastern regions. There are thought to be around 200-400 wolves in the country; estimates in the past have put the population at around 1,200-1,800 but were based on statistics provided by hunting associations, and there has been no formal scientific monitoring. Wolves can be hunted between 1st November and 15th January, with a quota set by the Ministry of Agriculture. This has varied between 120-160 wolves permitted to be killed in a season. The long-term effects of hunting have not been studied and as around 20 of Slovakia’s 50 or so wolf packs have territories straddling the border with Poland, this means that wolves fully protected in Poland can be killed if they cross the border into Slovakia.  Other threats include habitat fragmentation due to an increase in road building and development, conflict with livestock owners and competition with hunters for ungulate prey such as red and roe deer and wild boar.”

Species Information

Species
Common Names: gray wolf, vlk dravý (Slovakian)
Latin Name: Canis lupus

Subspecies
Common Name:
Latin Name: Canis lupus lupus

Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
Number of wolves: About 200 to 400, according to this website, or about 300 to 450, according to this presentation
Population trend: Stable/Slightly increasing
Legal protection: Protection with some exceptions. Wolves are regulated in Slovakia under the EU Habitat Directive (92/43/EEC) Annexes II and V.

This page was last updated in 2018

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