European Parliament Eases Wolf Protection, Faces Opposition from Monaco, Czech Republic, and UK
The European Parliament has downgraded the wolf's protection status, leading to easier hunting regulations despite objections from several nations.
As of March 7, 2025, the European Parliament has approved a significant change in the wolf's protection status within the European Union, shifting from 'strictly protected' to 'protected' status.
This modification, confirmed by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention on December 6, 2024, allows for easier hunting of the species across participating countries, though it has faced opposition from the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, and Monaco.
The decision allows member countries to adopt less stringent controls over wolf populations.
While the wolf remains protected in the EU, this change permits regulated hunting under specific conditions.
Countries opposed to this change, such as Monaco and its partners, were unable to gather the required one-third objection rate to block the decision, significantly less than the 17 objections needed.
The Monégasque government, through its Department of External Relations and Cooperation, expressed concerns about the implications of this policy shift on wolf populations, which had been recovering under strict protection for the past four years.
Reportedly, the wolf population in the EU reached approximately 20,000 individuals in 2023, a figure that reflects the success of previous conservation efforts.
In response to the decision, the EU Commission has already initiated amendments to the Habitats Directive to align with the Bern Convention's revision, potentially allowing for wolves to be moved from Annex IV, which prohibits hunting, to Annex V, which allows hunting under certain conditions of governance.
This legislative change must be adopted by member states within two years.
Proponents of the change claim it offers greater flexibility for wolf population management, suggesting that regulated hunting could help mitigate human-wolf conflicts, particularly in agricultural areas.
In 2023, wolves were responsible for killing 11,000 sheep and goats, while the annual allowable wolf cull in France was set at 19% of the population.
Critics, including Monégasque officials, stress the fragility of wolf populations in various regions and assert that the shift in protection status overlooks ecological balances.
The overall threats facing wolves include habitat fragmentation, deforestation, and direct human conflict, including illegal hunting and poaching.
Monaco’s government has further noted that the predation pressure from wolves remains minimal compared to total livestock populations in the EU. According to their data, the estimated predation rate on sheep is around 0.065%.
The principality underscores the ecological role of the wolf as a top predator in regulating herbivore populations, which contributes to biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
The regulatory change comes amidst broader agricultural grievances across Europe in 2024, amid economic stresses involving farming communities.
The EU's decision to downgrade wolf protections has been interpreted by some as a political response to these pressures.
In the wake of the decision, five environmental protection organizations have filed a legal challenge to the EU's directive, citing a lack of scientific justification for the lowering of protection status.
Despite the official modification, it is unclear how individual countries will adapt their national laws to reflect the changes, especially for those that have expressed opposition to the new regulations.
Monaco has opted not to pursue legal actions against the decision, asserting its intentions to rely on national measures rather than international legal recourse.
With the recent shift, wildlife management and conservation strategies in Europe may undergo significant developments as countries navigate the complexities of species protection, agricultural livelihoods, and ecological sustainability.
This modification, confirmed by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention on December 6, 2024, allows for easier hunting of the species across participating countries, though it has faced opposition from the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, and Monaco.
The decision allows member countries to adopt less stringent controls over wolf populations.
While the wolf remains protected in the EU, this change permits regulated hunting under specific conditions.
Countries opposed to this change, such as Monaco and its partners, were unable to gather the required one-third objection rate to block the decision, significantly less than the 17 objections needed.
The Monégasque government, through its Department of External Relations and Cooperation, expressed concerns about the implications of this policy shift on wolf populations, which had been recovering under strict protection for the past four years.
Reportedly, the wolf population in the EU reached approximately 20,000 individuals in 2023, a figure that reflects the success of previous conservation efforts.
In response to the decision, the EU Commission has already initiated amendments to the Habitats Directive to align with the Bern Convention's revision, potentially allowing for wolves to be moved from Annex IV, which prohibits hunting, to Annex V, which allows hunting under certain conditions of governance.
This legislative change must be adopted by member states within two years.
Proponents of the change claim it offers greater flexibility for wolf population management, suggesting that regulated hunting could help mitigate human-wolf conflicts, particularly in agricultural areas.
In 2023, wolves were responsible for killing 11,000 sheep and goats, while the annual allowable wolf cull in France was set at 19% of the population.
Critics, including Monégasque officials, stress the fragility of wolf populations in various regions and assert that the shift in protection status overlooks ecological balances.
The overall threats facing wolves include habitat fragmentation, deforestation, and direct human conflict, including illegal hunting and poaching.
Monaco’s government has further noted that the predation pressure from wolves remains minimal compared to total livestock populations in the EU. According to their data, the estimated predation rate on sheep is around 0.065%.
The principality underscores the ecological role of the wolf as a top predator in regulating herbivore populations, which contributes to biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
The regulatory change comes amidst broader agricultural grievances across Europe in 2024, amid economic stresses involving farming communities.
The EU's decision to downgrade wolf protections has been interpreted by some as a political response to these pressures.
In the wake of the decision, five environmental protection organizations have filed a legal challenge to the EU's directive, citing a lack of scientific justification for the lowering of protection status.
Despite the official modification, it is unclear how individual countries will adapt their national laws to reflect the changes, especially for those that have expressed opposition to the new regulations.
Monaco has opted not to pursue legal actions against the decision, asserting its intentions to rely on national measures rather than international legal recourse.
With the recent shift, wildlife management and conservation strategies in Europe may undergo significant developments as countries navigate the complexities of species protection, agricultural livelihoods, and ecological sustainability.
