Farmer Jørgen Blazejewicz of the Storålam farm near Holstebro, West Jutland, confirmed the attack, as did the Environmental Protection Agency (Miljøstyrelsen, EPA).

DNA tests will be conducted in order to confirm that a wolf killed the animals.

“If this is a wolf attack, it is the largest wolf attack we have seen in Denmark,” EPA advisor Lasse Jensen said.

“An EPA wolf consultant has inspected the attack and we can say with certainty that there was an attack. A series of DNA samples have been taken and these will be sent for analysis to confirm this was indeed a wolf attack,” Jensen said.

In February last year, 21 sheep were killed by wolves in the same area of West Jutland.

Blazejewicz said the new attack carried similarities to the one which occurred last year.

“The bites (on the sheep) are savage, and their throats crushed in some cases. They sheep had not been eaten, so it makes no sense,” Blazejewicz said in the press statement.

The EPA said that fencing keeping wolves away from the sheep may have been inadequate.

“The sheep were, as far as I am aware, released a few days ago in an area enclosed by an inadequately maintained fence. There was thereby relatively easy access for the animal or animals, which may have been wolves,” Jensen said.

“In the same area this month, sheep have been released into three other enclosures without any attacks resulting. These enclosures were maintained regularly. That shows how important it is for fencing to be adequate,” he continued.

Shepherd Peter Helén suggested in comments to local newspaper Jydske Vestkysten that sabotage may have caused the incident.

“There was not much current in the fence, and we found a hole measuring 90 by 90 centimetres,” Helén told the newspaper.

“An idiot made that hole. It was done with pliers. Anyone can see that, so I am scared, because what kind of idiot goes around in the countryside and thinks it’s fun to see sheep get killed?”, he added.

Last year, a total of 28 wolf attacks on domesticated animals were registered in Denmark.

The animal returned to the country during the last decade after not being seen in the wild since the 19th century.

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