On the 20th of May we will demonstrate against the fences of the animal crossing in the park ‘de Hoge Veluwe’. The park is repeatedly in the news for their draconian policies regarding fences, animals, and the presence of the wolf. The park policies are motivated by profit, to the detriment of the animals and the natural surroundings both inside and around the park.
Since 2019 the ecoduct Oud-Reemst and the fauna passage at the Deelerwoud have been closed off to animals by the national park de Hoge Veluwe. The consequences? Animals such as red deers can no longer move around the surrounding areas, thereby causing a disturbance in the natural way of living of larger wildlife.
Habitats
The closing of the Oud-Reemst ecoduct (which was an 8 million euro investment for the Dutch state) does not only cause problems for the animals that are currently enclosed within the park, but also negatively affects animals outside of the park. Animals can no longer move freely through the larger areas of the Veluwe and therefore have a reduced living area. As a result, they interact more with roads and/or villages, which can lead to further dangerous situations.
The Wolf
Currently, a pack of wolves is residing in the Hoge Veluwe national park. Due to the fences surrounding the park and the closing of the ecoducts, it is almost impossible for the wolves to avoid humans, even though wolves tend to be shy of people. The situation has already led to several interactions, which has caused commotion surrounding the safety of park visitors. The wolf couple currently in the park has given birth to pups who will eventually set out individually, in search of their own territory. The closing of the park hinders this natural process to such an extent that we can expect more problems in the future.
The Mouflon
Naturally, the wolves cannot thrive without food, and they have to hunt in order to survive. Within the national park, the mouflon is easy prey for the wolf. But the mouflon is not a native species. While the mouflon would usually seek shelter in rocky terrain, this is not possible in de Hoge Veluwe. To protect the mouflon from the wolf, the remaining animals have been separated from the wolf. The park has not tried to deny that the well-being of the exotic species is being prioritised over the return of a natural predator. Every animal deserves the right to a fair life, but it shocks us that the park chooses an exotic species over the natural ecosystem and therefore chooses to keep the gates closed.
What do we want?
We demand that the park reopens the fauna passage and the ecoduct for wildlife so that all animals (from deer to wolf) have access to the diverse areas and do not have to be enclosed in a park. We are of the opinion that the national park does not have the right to keep animals locked up for their own sake.
Do you agree with us?
Let yourself be heard! Together we stand strong. We will gather at the corner of the Pothovenlaan— Harskamperweg.