More than 40 sheep have died in an apparent wolf attack in southwestern Germany, adding fervor to an ongoing debate in the country on how much protection wolves should get.

Sheep farming official Anette Wohlfahrt told the German news agency dpa Monday that a lawn in the southwestern community of Bad Wildbad looked "like horror" after a wolf there apparently killed 32 sheep, while more of them drowned in a nearby river when they tried to escape. Other sheep had to be shot dead because of their injuries.

Until recent years, wolves were almost extinct in Germany, but officials have worked on re-distributing the predators across the country — much to the dislike of farmers who fear for their livestock.

According to dpa, there are around 800 wolves in Germany.