Stand still, make eye contact: Denmark tells tourists how to behave in a wolf encounter

Wolves started returning to Denmark in 2012 after they were eradicated 200 years earlier. Photograph: Rolf Larsen/Getty Images/500px Plus View image in fullscreen Wolves started returning to Denmark in 2012 after they were eradicated 200 years earlier. Photograph: Rolf Larsen/Getty Images/500px Plus Stand still, make eye contact: Denmark tells tourists how to behave in a wolf encounter Government urges visitors not to approach or feed wolves as it manages safety amid growing population Danish authorities have advised tourists to stand still, make eye contact and put up “maximum resistance” in the event of attack if they encounter a wolf while on holiday. After a 200-year absence, wolves started returning to Denmark in 2012. There are now estimated to be 49 wolves on the Danish peninsular of Jutland. Generally, it is rare for wolves to even approach humans, but in the area around the popular tourism destination of Oksbøl, young ones were spotted doing so earlier this year. The municipality of Varde and Visit Vesterhavet have distributed flyers containing the government advice around holiday homes, campsites and tourist offices in Danish, English and German. Tourists are told to keep calm and still in the presence of a wolf, hold eye contact, take a picture of the animal and, if it will not go away of its own accord, shout, clap hands and wave arms. They are advised not to follow or to turn their backs on an approaching wolf. The tip is to “stare directly at it” to “show dominance”. While there have been no wolf attacks on humans in Denmark , in the event of it happening, tourists are urged: “You must offer maximum resistance: hit and kick and use any blunt weapon.” The government advice also states that children under the age of 10 should be accompanied by an adult in the Oksbøl area. Wolves have long had a presence in Denmark – the oldest wolf bones in the country are 13,000 years old – but after the last wolf was shot in 1813 they only started to make a comeback in the last two decades. Their presence has received a mixed response, often dividing people along political lines. In April, two ponies were killed by wolves in a fortnight. Soon after, four MPs from the far-right Danish People’s party were reported to police for sharing a Facebook post calling on people to “Shoot the wolf”. Wolves are protected by EU law. skip past newsletter promotion after newsletter promotion View image in fullscreen The return of wolves has divided opinions in Denmark. Photograph: Ricochet64/Getty Images/iStockphoto The wolf expert Peter Sunde, a wildlife ecology professor at Aarhus University, said: “During the winter and spring of 2026, at least two young wolves were observed approaching humans and exhibiting markedly reduced flight distances in the area around Oksbøl that is a tourist hotspot. One of these wolves is still alive.” This type of behaviour, he said, usually happens when young wolves are repeatedly exposed to humans. “It has been discussed whether to