Croatia has long been the number one summer destination for Slovaks. Adriatic lovers should be careful this year. An unexpected threat appeared in the popular southern Dalmatia. As the portal informs, residents of the villages around the Neretva River they report encounters with wolves that have lost their shyness and are moving directly to human habitations.
In the south of Dalmatia, encounters between people and wolves are happening more and more often. Residents of the villages of Zažablje and Kula Norinska in the valley of the Neretva River report the presence of these beasts, which come closer to the houses, while the evidence of their presence is also howling. There is a lack of game in this area, so wolves sometimes descend near villages during their migrations.
The protection of farm animals is a particularly sensitive issue, as animals such as sheep and goats are easy prey and the damage caused by wolves remains unpaid. Local residents say that ten years ago it was impossible to see a wolf so close to homes, but today they move here almost daily, looking for food and exploring new territory.
A resident of the village of Kula Norinska described his personal experience with a predator. “I was walking the dog when a wolf jumped out in front of us. It was drizzling. My Belgian shepherd attacked him and even knocked him to the ground. When the wolf gathered itself, it immediately ran away. I’m not sure if he would have attacked us, rather it seemed to me that he too was surprised to see us. “Unfortunately, the wolf has become almost a pet here,” he concluded.
Citizens say that, first of all, it is necessary to investigate why wolves appear in these areas where they did not live before. The reasons are to be found in the increased number of cattle that roam there without any supervision. When he catches a farm animal, no one reports him, because the animals are not registered, so even the inspection cannot act.
All this helps the reproduction of wolves. Eyewitnesses who saw them claim that it is not a cross between a dog and a wolf. They assume that it is several clamps that move in the hilly areas of the village of Kula Norinska, from Krvavec through Borovce to Nove Sela. Wolves can walk 20 to 30 kilometers a day in search of food, which explains how they can move so quickly and search the wider area.
The mayor of the village of Kula Norinska called on citizens to be more careful when walking dogs and spending time in nature. “Two wolves were spotted in the Nove Sela area near the cemetery. Also, in the settlement of Krvavac, a collision between a wolf and a dog, which was on a walk with its owner, was recorded.” pointed out Nikola Krstičević on social networks.
Experts say that wolves rarely pose a danger to humans, but their movement near villages and attacks on livestock cause fear among the local population and tourists. Experts point out that spontaneous shooting of a wolf is not allowed due to the legal protection of this species. They are strictly protected, as a result of which it is forbidden to hunt them, kill them or organize hunts.
