The gray wolf (Canis lupus) population in the European Union has rebounded to around 20,300 individuals across 23-24 countries as of 2023.
This was not always the case. Gray wolves were threatened, and extinct from western and central Europe before the species was protected under the Bern Convention in the 1970s.
The European Commission is considering changing the conservation status of gray wolves from "strictly protected" to "protected," allowing hunting under strict regulation. The proposal is supported by President Ursula von der Leyen, who lost her pony to a wolf attack, despite protests from activists and concerns about potential abuse and threats to the species.
France has seen a surge in its wolf population, with numbers estimated at over 1,000 last year, but also a recent 9% decrease and a rise in attacks on livestock, leading to wolves often being killed to protect livestock under specific conditions. Restrictions allow for a maximum of 20% of the population to be culled annually.
The increasing contact between wolves and humans has resulted in more frequent damages. Wolf-related damages in France reached 4 million euros in 2022, lower than damages caused by wild boars and deer, but still a concern for livestock owners.
Attacks on livestock and more encounters with humans caused heated debates between supporters and opponents of the predator, placing farmers and environmentalists on opposing sides.
Sources: Hurriyet Daily News, Istoé, ABC, News24, Nice-Matin, Orange Actu, RTL, El Ciudadano, VNExpress, La Jornada, Göteborgs-Posten, Dagens PS, Globo, Notiulti, Exame, France24, IBTimes
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
