Effective herd protection by AKO-WolfNet

Ein Wolf in freier Wildbahn The spread of the wolf in the cultivated landscape holds a potential for conflict. As opportunist feeders, they go for the animals that they can capture most easily. These are, above all, domestic animals such as sheep and goats. This makes protecting the herd an important issue. This includes the tried and tested defence against wolves using electric fences.
The electric fence must be optimally earthed – whether that’s a fence equipped with five wires or the AKO WolfNet. A powerful 12 V AKO fence device with a fence voltage of around 4000 to 5000 volts and an impulse energy of around 5 Joules is used to provide power. The ground clearance of the lowest blue AKO TopLine Plus fence tape should be 10 to a maximum of 20 cm. When using the AKO WolfNet, this must reach to the ground (take uneven terrain into account!). Only then can it protect against undermining. Wolves will first try to push themselves under a fence instead of jumping over it. The additional AKO wires (or tapes) are affixed at 30 and 50 cm height on the classic electric fence. The spacing can then be a little larger – e.g. wires at 80 and 110 cm in height.

Our tip:
we recommend tensioning a blue signal tape or a blue AKO TopLine Plus fence tape at the upper fence end at 130 or 140 cm height as a visual barrier. In areas exposed to wind, there is the option to cut the signal tape into several pieces and secure one piece to the top of each post. Alternatively, affixing rags (rag fence/wolf hunt) can help. This should have an additional, if only temporary, defence effect, especially on younger wolves. A wooden post should be sunk at each corner and, depending on the fence length, halfway along each side of the pen, to which insulators are screwed. AKO plastic posts, preferably with integrated wire eyelets, are installed in between (depending on the terrain) at intervals of 7 to 8 metres depending on the height of the fence.

Important:
a mobile pen should not be too small, so that wolves cannot get too close to the animals and panic them. Double fencing is required in some cases. This creates a "safety ring".

Wolf defence fence

Wolf defence fence
  1. Premium WildHog Polywire
  2. Blue TopLine Plus fence tape
  3. Blue signal tape
  4. Aluminium strips or rags
  5. Fence connection cable with alligator clips
  6. Signal light
  7. Warning sign
  8. Insulators


The AKO WolfNet includes the following benefits:
  • Quick assembly and disassembly
  • 50 m long blue net in one piece
  • Two net heights: 125 | 138 cm with signal band
  • 6 current-carrying TriCOND wires
  • Non-electrifiable floor wire as protection against undermining
  • Defined wire distances and number of posts
The following must be observed:
the wires are tensioned tightly on the wooden posts, whereas they only need to be inserted into the eyelets of the plastic posts. Don't let them sag.
Important:
the AKO electric fence or AKO WolfNet must be positioned at a sufficient distance from embankments and slopes (not at their upper end!) as well as from forest roads (not at the lower end), rootstocks and similar. Wolves could otherwise use the natural circumstances as aids to enter. Attention must also be paid to excluding water ditches and ponds, as wolves could jump over them or run through them. Outside of the grazing season, you must disassemble the fences that are no longer electrified. Wolves could otherwise learn how to overcome them. There is also the risk that other wild animals could get caught in the fence or that material fatigue could occur due to frost.
Note:
in hunting grounds, winter can see attacks on cloven-hoofed animals at feeding stations and winter fences. The electric fences described above can also be used here to keep wolves away. Particular attention must be paid to the respective terrain and the different snow heights.


“The return of wolves to Germany poses a challenge, especially when it comes to promoting a largely conflict-free coexistence between domestic animals and wolves. Good protection is a prerequisite to keep the number of attacks on domestic animals as low as possible in the long term. Commercially available live fences with a recommended height of at least 110 centimetres are very effective protection against wolf attacks. This is because they are a barrier that causes pain to the wolf when one touches it.”

VANESSA LUDWIG – Project manager of the Wolfsregion Lausitz contact offices (Saxony)