Wolf on the move: first ‘GPS wolf’ travels over 2,500 km in just a few months

To date, four deer and one wolf have been fitted with transmitters. More than 400 people have now voluntarily carried a tracker. Jakob Leidekker, Head of Operations at De Hoge Veluwe National Park, says: “These trackers have covered almost 13,000 kilometres within the park. At present, we still have insufficient data to draw conclusions about interactions between wolves, prey animals and people.”

The tracking programme is progressing more slowly than anticipated. One of the reasons is that, unfortunately, a hind died a few days after being fitted with a transmitter. “This came as a great shock to us. Tracking was immediately suspended and an investigation into the cause was launched,” says Leidekker.

“Careful analysis showed that the animal died as a result of so-called ‘underlying illness’. Bacterial septicaemia and pneumonia were identified as the causes. Once this had been established and reported to the relevant authorities, the tracking programme was resumed.”

The wolf that was fitted with a transmitter in October 2025 has travelled an impressive distance of 2,528.5 kilometres across the Netherlands over the past three months. This is evident from data collected via the transmitter in the wolf’s collar. The data show that the predator has crossed four provinces during this period, passing through several pack territories, motorways and even rivers.

Since being fitted with a transmitter on 16 October 2025, the collared wolf has moved through the provinces of Gelderland, Overijssel, Drenthe and Utrecht. Covering an average of 30 kilometres per day, the animal is exploring a wide range of areas across the Netherlands.

WUR researcher Frank van Langevelde explains: “After being fitted with a transmitter in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, the predator left almost immediately. The wolf then travelled through Overijssel and Drenthe before returning to the Veluwe. From late October to early December, the wolf mainly remained in the south-eastern Veluwe (Veluwezoom) and the Het Loo Royal Estate.”

On 6 December, the collared wolf moved to the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, where it has since been frequently present. This is notable, as the wolf had previously stayed only briefly in specific areas. The animal has now been in the territory of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug pack for over a month. It is still too early to determine whether the wolf will permanently settle in this area.

During its journey, the wolf has passed through the territories of nine different packs: six of the eight Veluwe packs, two packs in Drenthe, and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug pack.

Van Langevelde: “The collared wolf demonstrates how well wolves are able to move through the Dutch landscape. The predator swam across the River IJssel, both there and back. In addition, the wolf crossed several motorways, always at night.”

Data from the transmitter show that the wolf is mainly active during the evening and night. During the day, the animal shelters in dense young pine forests or smaller wooded areas, sometimes close to walking paths. “This behaviour may indicate how wolves attempt to navigate a landscape dominated by humans. However, more data, research and time are needed to confirm this,” says Van Langevelde.