While some scientists have decided that it’s a ‘great idea’ to bring back from extinction the big dire wolves of olden days, in the real life, the lupine packs present a real danger and a dividing issue in Europe.
The EU Parliament approved yesterday (8) plans to downgrade the protection status of wolves, because of their growing numbers and the increasing threat they pose to livestock.
Reuters reported:
“The changes – which European Union member states already approved last month – will lower wolves’ status in EU law to ‘protected’ from ‘strictly protected’, reflecting a change under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats.
In practice, it will mean EU countries can allow wolf hunting, but they must still take steps to stop the animals becoming endangered, such as by limiting hunting seasons.”
Watch: In the Italian Abruzzo region, a group of three hungry wolves attack a lone dog (he escaped).
Speaking about wolves in Europe, I remember this crazy video from Abruzzo region in Italy where a group of three hungry wolves attacked a lone dog.
Fortunately the little guy was able to outsmart them and escaped! https://t.co/crBdX9jC8T pic.twitter.com/bRteD76AP0
— Aristocratic Fury (@LandsknechtPike) February 4, 2025
The Bern Convention has protected wolves since the late 70’s, and they could only be hunted or captured if they posed a serious (and immediate) threat to livestock or humans.
A car driver prevents a cyclist from a potential wolf attack pic.twitter.com/YzXBBkSYeh
— Interesting things (@awkwardgoogle) April 28, 2025
“’Farmers can now breathe a sigh of relief’, said lawmaker Herbert Dorfmann of the center-right European People’s Party. ‘It’s time to adapt to today’s reality. This means balancing our conservation efforts with protecting farmers’, he said.
Campaigners and some EU lawmakers have accused European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, whose own pony was killed by a wolf in 2022, of having a personal motivation for targeting wolves.”
Associated Press reported:
“Nearly two-thirds of the European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg, France voted to change wolves’ status from ‘strictly protected’ to ’protected’ in a vote of 371 to 162, with 37 abstentions.
[…] Tuesday’s vote was the final real hurdle before the measure becomes EU law. The change to the central Habitats Directive law will now likely be passed swiftly by the European Council and enter into force across the 27 member states.”
Watch: dog stands its ground against 6 charging wolves.
Dog takes the high ground and fends off 6 wolves attacking it.pic.twitter.com/jtEXQ5mYUV
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) February 24, 2025
Populist and right-wing parties have long panned the protections as ideas by urban elites with little knowledge of rural life.
Farmers have suffered with attacks on livestock by surging packs of wolves roaming territories close to agricultural land.
Sheep comforting a dog that has just saved an entire flock from a wolf attack. This Turkish dog breed has the strongest bite force among dogs – it’s almost like a grizzly’s: https://t.co/j4waj3dnaM pic.twitter.com/io8KuOmrq4
— SlavicWarrior®️ (@q_slavic) June 27, 2023
“Experts and environmental groups estimate there could be up to 19,000 wolves across Europe, with large populations thought to roam in Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania and Spain. After nearly being wiped out in the 20th century, their numbers are estimated to have grown by at least 25% over the last decade.”
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