Wolf Presence near a Temporary Sheep Pasture in Flanders: A Descriptive Camera-Trap Study

Wolves (Canis lupus) recolonized Belgium after their eradication in the 19th century, with the first modern settlement in Flanders in 2018. This study monitored wolf be-haviour over a 16-day period near a temporary sheep pasture protected by livestock guardian dogs and electric fencing. Sheep were present for 11 days. Camera traps rec-orded wolves on 6 days (23 detections), mostly when sheep and dogs were absent. Wolves occasionally inspected the fence but did not attempt to enter the pasture. Im-portantly, no predation events occurred during the study period. This outcome con-trasts with simultaneous wolf attacks on unprotected flocks in the surrounding region, underscoring the effectiveness of protective measures. Their activity overlapped with human and vehicle presence, indicating limited avoidance of anthropogenic disturb-ance. To our knowledge, this is the first descriptive study in Flanders combining cam-era-trap monitoring with livestock guardian dogs and electric fencing. These findings suggest that livestock guardian dogs and well-maintained fencing effectively deter wolf attacks, even in a densely populated landscape.