The naturalist and zoologist Martí Boada has confirmed that the attacks recently registered in Solsonès correspond to the action of a wolf. The expert based his diagnosis on the analysis of the injuries found in the affected livestock.
Boada examined the remains on August 29 during a stay in the region. His verification focused on the bite with incisors on the jugular of a sheep and on the total number of damaged cattle.
The predator's hunting technique
The specialist detailed the animal's modus operandi. According to his observations, the canine acts with stealth to immobilize the prey from the first moment.
"From the first moment I saw that it was a wolf attack. I have seen it other times. The type of wound, the bite with the incisors in the jugular area of the sheep, the number of animals affected... everything points to a wolf attack" - Martí Boada, naturalist and zoologist
Boada explained that the wolf directs its bite to the jugular vein. This action causes immediate immobilization and death of the victim through a single lethal intervention.
An isolated case without continued presence
The zoologist ruled out the arrival of a herd or the permanent establishment of the species in the area. He identified the responsible party as a solitary specimen with erratic movements.
It is probably a young individual reaching the territory for the first time. Boada does not foresee a recurrence of these events against sheep.
The usual prey of this predator would be oriented towards the current increase in roe deer and wild boars in the region. To date, no confirmed visual sightings have been recorded of the animal in the areas of the attacks.
This incident occurs in a regulatory context different from the historical one. Spanish law allowed farmers to defend themselves against wolves until 1973, the year in which said regulation was repealed.
The Department of Agriculture today maintains a trend of protecting the wolf along with the European mink, the bear, and the lynx. This policy is part of what is called the return of untouched nature.