This association and its expert are behind the wolf lawsuit - German court halts wolf execution as conservationists fight back

A wolf in Germany's Black Forest has won a temporary stay of execution after a small conservation group took legal action. The Nature Conservation Initiative (NI), based in a village of just 500 people, challenged the state's order to kill the animal. Hunters had planned to carry out the cull on Tuesday, but a court ruling paused the operation until later in the week.

The dispute centres on a wolf living on the Hornisgrinde plateau, where authorities had authorised its killing. Baden-Württemberg's Ministry of the Environment issued the order, citing concerns over the animal's behaviour. However, the NI, led by wolf expert Wolfgang Epple, filed an emergency injunction to block the decision.

The court ruled that the wolf's death would create an irreversible situation. It also found that the immediate threat was not severe enough to justify killing the animal before a full review. The ministry later confirmed that no action would be taken until the court reaches a final decision on the emergency application.

Epple, a biologist with 55 years in conservation, has long studied animal behaviour. He once hand-reared a wolf from infancy, giving him firsthand experience with the species. His organisation, the NI, follows a strictly ecology-driven approach, prioritising the protection of all native wildlife, including wolves.

Not all conservation groups agree with the challenge. NABU, Epple's former organisation, supports the culling permit. They argue that the wolf has repeatedly approached humans, justifying the state's intervention.

The legal battle is part of a broader dispute over wildlife management in the region. Earlier in 2026, the Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung filed a separate lawsuit against Baden-Württemberg's mass culling of wild boars and deer. That case, also heard at the Verwaltungsgerichtshof, questions the legality of large-scale animal control measures.

For now, the wolf remains protected while the court examines the emergency injunction. The ruling does not yet include a full legal assessment, leaving the final decision pending. If the injunction fails, the retrieval team could still proceed with the cull.