Every December, the Schaapskooi, a natural area in the province of Utrecht, lights up with Christmas celebrations — but this year, some unwanted guests spoiled the party. 🐺
Due to the growing presence of wolves in the area, and some rather alarming close encounters, the annual Schaapskooi’s Kerstfeest (Christmas Festival) was cancelled, reports RTL Nieuws.
The party is off
The Grinch-esque decision was made by Utrechts Landschap, the organisation that owns and manages the Heidestein, which is the nature reserve where the festival usually takes place.
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After deliberation with the Province of Utrecht, the organisation concluded that hosting the Christmas party would have been irresponsible — especially considering its usual target audience.
Every year, the festival is attended by thousands of people, many of which are families with small children and pets: exactly the type of crowd that makes wolves protective of their cubs and potentially aggressive.
Close calls
The decision also happened in the aftermath of a few close encounters in the Province, especially around the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, where the Schaapskooi is also located.
This year alone, one girl was bitten by a wolf and another was injured.
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Following these incidents, the authorities have advised hikers against visiting the province’s natural areas with children or pets.
Last summer, a portion of the Den Treek estate, also on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, had to be closed off for weeks due to the attacks.
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Since then, the Utrecht Province has been trying to obtain permission to capture, sedate, and tag the wolves behind the attacks, who are now believed to belong to a single pack — but so far, it has failed, reports RTL Nieuws.
For the time being, tracking the wolves is impossible, meaning that public events like the Schaapskooi Christmas Festival cannot be hosted safely.
What do you think of the decision to call off the Kerstfeest? Share all your thoughts in the comments below.