The province of Gelderland has extended and widened the licence to shoot a wolf that bit a jogger in the Hoge Veluwe heathland region earlier this year, news website Nu.nl reported on Tuesday.

The young wolf, known as GW4655m, may now be targeted in a larger area of the countryside, including the grounds of the Deelen airbase, officials said.

Gelderland had issued a licence valid to shoot the wolf until the end of this year but the animal has not been seen for some time. However, members of its pack were recently spotted again near the airbase prompting the province to extend the hunting area.

The authorisation now runs until July 1, 2026. Gelderland said it opted for a limited extension because killing a wolf is a “serious step”.

Campaign group Animal Rights said it will challenge the extension in court. The organisation argues there have been no recent incidents and says the existing permit has proved ineffective because the province has not managed to find the animal.

Animal welfare groups recently won a separate case involving another Gelderland wolf linked to 20 attacks on sheep. The court ruled the province must first investigate alternatives for protecting the animals before considering lethal measures.