Lithuania’s wolf hunting season ends with 275 animals culled

The 2025–2026 wolf hunting season in Lithuania has concluded with 275 wolves killed, 32 fewer than the established culling limit, the Environment Ministry reported on Saturday, citing data from the state news agency ELTA.

Hunting began in October in the Varėna district, with the final wolf taken in March in the Švenčionys district. The highest numbers were recorded in Kaišiadorys (16 wolves), followed by Ignalina and Vilkaviškis (13 each), Šakiai and Lazdijai (12 each), and Trakai and Varėna (11 each). Ukmergė, Panevėžys, and Kėdainiai each saw nine wolves culled.

The lowest counts—just one wolf—were reported in Joniškis, Jurbarkas, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Marijampolė, Molėtai, Rietavas, and Šilalė. Kupiškis and Pagėgiai municipalities recorded two wolves each.

Annual culling quotas are set based on population monitoring, scientific research, and recommendations aimed at maintaining an ecologically sustainable wolf population in Lithuania’s forest ecosystems.