Newest updates  Oostvaardersplassen 
15 April 2018 Images of dying animals 
2 demonstrations took place. They were both peaceful. 

16 April 2018 An article in Trouw about the cat and mouse game between women trying to feed the animals, which is illegal,  and the police 

Animals still dying a slow death. 

17 April 2018 
Actress Belinda Meuldijk proposes to move the horses away and place them under care (of course after being sterilised) of an association for the protection of horses in Spain according to Algemeen Dagblad. She appears in this talkshow Pauw and explains why. 
The association "The red deer" has sent a letter to the commission v Geel about the welfare of the deer, and they advice that feeding is still necessary as they still lack food and their condition is poorly.  

18 April 2018 Patrick van Veen in Avondgasten 

19 April 2018 Provincie Flevoland decided to continue feeding until 5 May according to Flevopost. And volunteers are still feeding the horses too. 

20 April 2018 Photos of today First official photos published according to VRT Belgium
23 April 2018 Publicity spot appeared for the first time on tv od association Cynthia and Annemieke "Stop the grazers in the Oostvaardersplassen"

The association for the Protection of Animals (Dierenbescherming) in Holland has been stakeholder in the development of the project of the Oostvaardersplassen, so from them no real imput is expected to improve the situation of the large grazers according to this article 
24 April 2018

Every 12 minutes an animal has been shot over the last 3 months according to an article in the NRC 
The European Commission doesn't take its responsibilities according to this article 


25 April 2018 The day has come that the long awaited report van Geel will be presented. Articles in every newspaper of the Netherlands : Volkskrant Eén Vandaag NOS Algemeen Dagblad

The report has been presented Omroep Flevoland makes a resumee. "The number of animals must be reduced to 1100 animals. There are still 2260. All cattle remain. +/- 180 horses will be transported to other reserves in the Netherlands and Europe. 980 deer will be killed/hunted. In the coming years, the animals will be hunted so that the number of 1500 animals maximum is not going to be exceeded. So the Oostvaardersplassen in the Netherlands will become or better remain a game reserve with the yearly killing of domesticated animals like horses and cattle and deer that are protected: the Dutch Killing Fields continue." You'll find the complete report under this link 

Reaction of Dion Graus 
Eén TV about the report of van Geel:
27 April 2018 Article in the Guardian  Dutch rewilding experiment sparks backlash as thousands of animals starve


29 April 2018 Article in the Volkskrant 'I refuse to see conflict over the Oostvaardersplassen as a clash between emotion and reason'  


1 May 2018 Animals are still struggling: no food, too much water, mud and the authorities want to decrease feeding
A lone stallion can't reach the rest of the herd as he went over the ice in winter and now is stuck between the water  and fences. 
2 May 2018 A deer gets stuck in the fence as at the other side of the fence there is grass, not in the OVP
Article in NRC The only solution is culling.... however the question remains whether people will except this solution. 
5 May 2018 (Liberation day in Holland)
7 May 2018 61 % of the large  grazers died this winter according to the NOS : 3226 of the 5230 died of which  89 % was culled before suffering a painful death. What about the other 11% ??? 
8 May 2018 The german press about the OVP

The international press also starts to show an interest in the disaster that's called the Oostvaardersplassen. 

Dutch outrage as animals starve in fenced-in wilderness by DW made for minds
Rangers culled nearly 3,000 animals in Oostvaardersplassen this winter by Dutch news.nl
Rewilding : A Rotten Idea by Steve Bremner

10 May 2018 Pacifist walk through the OVP with videos on facebook . A moon landscape with a terrible smell of dead bodies. 
There are too many stallions in the OVP and this is the result: a lot of fighting, a lot of injured animals. 
11 May 2018 Rewilding’s next generation will mean no more reserves full of starving animals in the Conversation
16 May 2018 The forest managers get protection as threats are not diminishing according NOS. 

28 May 2018 Other  re-introduction programmes in Holland Return of the bison: herd makes surprising comeback on Dutch coast

14 June 2018 A wounded pregnant mare gets in shock. Volunteers want to help and call the authorities who don't react. The mare dies in the end in the marsh. De Dagelijkse Standaard

15 June The European Commission is going to visit the reserve according to the page of EP member Annie Schreijer-Pierik


15 May 2018 The area of the OVP  is going to be enlarged with 118 hectares, but not for the grazers, for the birds. The area on the edges of the reserve will be destined for tourism and recreation according to Flevopost