Very few people have seen them. Some have been trying to meet them for years and have failed. Others feel a sense of unease when they happen to stumble upon their footsteps alone.

There is no accurate data on the wolf population in Lithuania. The official estimate is around 300. No other predator incites such heated debate in the country. Farmers report livestock losses due to wolf attacks every summer, while hunters advocate for an increase in the hunting quota. It is currently set at 60 a year and every autumn is reached before the hunting season ends.

The Lithuanian media portrays wolves as bloodthirsty beasts, ready to attack humans. Their advocates are few and very unpopular with most of the public. Nonetheless, some are trying to raise public awareness, reach out to farmers offering training on livestock protection, participate in policy-making and organize campaigns for a ban on wolf hunting.

Meanwhile, wildlife photography is increasingly popular as a hobby and environmental communication tool in Lithuania. This community is also joining the fight to protect the species.

But can they listen and hear each other?

This program tells five stories about encounters with one of the most controversial wild predators in Lithuania.

Produced by Vaida Pilibaitytė

Sound design by Vaida Pilibaitytė, Sonata Jadevičienė

Editor Inga Janiulytė

Subtitles by Aušra Umbrasaitė

Presented at the EBU International Feature Conference 2018 in Prague, Czechia

Nominated for the PRIX EUROPA 2018