https://www.theguardian.com/en...-europe-with-eu-move



Wolf hunting could return to western Europe under EU plan

Commission’s proposal to downgrade animal’s ‘strictly protected’ status not based on scientific evidence, say conservationists

Patrick Barkham
@patrick_barkham
Wed 20 Dec 2023 12.14 EST

Wolves could be hunted again across western Europe after the European Commission proposed to reduce their protection, in what lawyers said was an ominous move against effective environmental laws.

The commission has proposed that EU member states downgrade the wolf’s status under the Berne convention from “strictly protected” to “protected” after two decades in which the species has returned to many countries from which it has been extinct for decades, including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the commission, whose pony, Dolly, was killed by a wolf in Germany in 2022, said: “The comeback of wolves is good news for biodiversity in Europe. But the concentration of wolf packs in some European regions has become a real danger, especially for livestock. To manage critical wolf concentrations more actively, local authorities have been asking for more flexibility.”


The commission’s proposal to downgrade the wolf’s protection follows intensive lobbying by farming groups and populist politicians who have spoken out against growing wolf populations.

Conservationists and environmentalists criticised the commission’s plan as “irregular” and not based on scientific evidence. Nearly 300 conservation NGOs wrote to von der Leyen this week to say that the current scientific assessment of the wolf population in western Europe did not justify a change in protection.

There are now an estimated 20,000 wolves in western Europe but six of the nine transboundary wolf populations in the EU have not yet reached a favourable conservation status, meaning that if wolves were culled or hunted the population would not be sustainable.

An opinion poll across 10 EU member states last month found that 68% of rural inhabitants supported continued strict protections for the wolf, with 65% of farmers still in favour of strict protection.

Agata Szafraniuk, the wildlife lead for the legal charity ClientEarth, said the commission’s proposal to “tinker” with existing laws set a dangerous precedent for environmental protection, and the rule of law more generally.


She said: “The tabling of this proposal has been part of an irregular process. Opening a law and tinkering under the bonnet when it seems convenient sets a really poor precedent – and should raise the alarm about how well protected nature really is. If this proposal goes through, it would be a horrendous signal for how the commission responds to ambitious nature policies and laws when they’re actually successful.

“Laws like these are there to safeguard not only wildlife and its habitats, but European societies’ rights to a healthy environment and safe future.”

Léa Badoz of the Eurogroup for Animals said the European Commission was backtracking on previous commitments “with no scientific backing”. She said: “The proposal reflects a strategic, opportunistic and political move which raises concerns about its motivations and alignment with genuine policy objectives. We call on member states to consider scientific evidence as well as the strong support of rural communities.”


Changing the wolf’s protection status under the Berne convention must first be agreed by the EU member states and other parties to the convention. Once agreed, the wolf’s protection can be downgraded at EU level.

The EU’s habitats directive, adopted in 1992, gave the wolf the highest level of legal protection, which conservation scientists have identified as the key factor in its return to western Europe.

Under the directive, “problem” wolves found to threaten livestock can still be culled, while a few EU member states, such as Sweden and Finland, continue to challenge interpretations of EU law by culling wolves to keep their populations at a fraction of their natural level.

A surprise to me that they could thrive in the most densely populated countries in Europe.

I knew there were wolves in Western Europe, but I never realized how many until now. 20,000?! That is incredible.

The damage the wolves have done in some part of Europe are really serious. It is threatening the way of life of many rural people. It's such a mess....

They are around - I see them at least 3 times/year - met this guy one morning this year while stalking the stag with client:

https://youtube.com/shorts/xWC...?si=RqEvHaCjdhEmq492

If this goes through the wolf issue could finally be brought from under the table and be dealt with openly...

Mouse, what do you think he weighed ?
Doesn’t look much bigger than our coyotes

quote:

Originally posted by Grizzly Adams1:
A surprise to me that they could thrive in the most densely populated countries in Europe.

They live and reproduce just fine in Wis. MN and MI.

It is just anti-hunting propaganda that they need wilderness.

quote:

Originally posted by Webster:
Mouse, what do you think he weighed ?
Doesn’t look much bigger than our coyotes

Could be a younger one.

It does look small compared to a fully grown one here.

This one was about 25kg or so - younger wolf for sure and I'd guess it was a female - the point was it was seen in full daylight and that speaks volume.

They are clever creatures and get cocky once they are aware that there is a good chance they are save. On one occasion this year - on a driven hunt - we were hunting red deer and boars, a wolf came behind me at a distance of 10m - I stood up and turned to face it - although it knew I was there it didn't bother to even look at me and it slowly strolled on like I wasn't there...

They get much bigger here as well - seen one of 45kg. On another occasion I witnessed a big wolf snatched a young wild boar of app 15kg - it carried it like a puppy without problem.

There is big money involved in wolf "projects" and everyone and his dog tries to jump the wagon. If there would be true intentions in making anything worth out of it - those in charge would just have to involve hunters on the ground and they would get much clearer picture about the goings than from some university backed townie daydreamers...

An old hunter once said - how do you know that wolf population is in balance with its surroundings - "Once you see one - there are already too much" - no worries tho - guns won't eradicate them.

quote:

They are clever creatures and get cocky once they are aware that there is a good chance they are save

Same here if they are not taught to be afraid of humans.

When I take my morning walk I normally see fresh wolf tracks.

I have seen dozens over the years. Most run quickly but have had a few that seem way to interested in me.

The only thing that concerns me would be the paper work.