The wolf, a protected European species, is not welcome in Friesland, a narrow majority of provincial councilors have decided.

The motion, drawn up by the Christian Democrats and right-wing Liberals plus the far-right PVV and FvD, does not say how the wolf should be kept out of the province, but does declare the province to be a ‘wolf-free zone’.

This, said VVD councilor Marten Dijkstra, who is also a farmer, should now be incorporated into the national strategy to deal with wolves. As yet, there have been no confirmed sightings of wolves in the province.

Research by the farm ministry published on Wednesday showed that 57% of the population welcome the return of the wolf to the Netherlands.

The first wolves were spotted again in the Netherlands in 2015 and at least one pair have been breeding in the Veluwe heathland region.

Some 65% of people said they did not consider wolves to be dangerous and would not avoid areas where they were known to roam.

Farmers whose livestock is proved to have been killed by wolves can claim compensation.