HOW THE WOLF RETURNED TO EUROPE

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Despite concerns about declining biodiversity on the European continent, some species make comebacks. The grey wolf has become one of them, the population of these large carnivores has increased by 1800% since the 1960s. However, the rewilding news has not been good news for all stakeholders. 

The grey wolf plays an essential role in balancing ecosystems. As a keystone species, it helps regulate the population of other species and also has an impact on plants. The Eurasian wolf is one of the most common and widespread subspecies in Europe. They inhabit various types of spaces, including forests, tundra, mountains, swamps and deserts. Other subgroups include the Iberian wolf, which mostly inhabits northern Portugal and northwestern Spain, and Italian wolf found in the Apennine Mountains and Western Alps. 

Wolves thrive in large family groups known as packs. They are carnivores that primarily prey on wild deer and boar. However, when natural prey is scarce, they may resort to preying on livestock like sheep. This leads to human-wildlife conflicts, resulting in hunting and prosecution. In fact, these conflicts played a significant role in the extinction of wolves in Europe as farmers sought to safeguard their livestock. Eventually, in the 19th century, the wolf was completely eradicated in most European countries. For example, it is claimed that in Belgium, the last wolf was hunted by King Leopold II in the 1890s.

The restoration process of wolves in Europe began in the late 20th century. Wildlife protection laws implemented in various European countries during the 1980s and 1990s, along with reintroduction programs led by conservationists, enabled wolves to regain their presence in areas with lower potential for human-wildlife conflicts. Crucially, the Bern Convention and subsequent Habitats Directive played a vital role in prohibiting the capture and hunting of wolves with some exceptions.

In addition, the abandonment of farmland in Eastern and Southern Europe has resulted in an increase in prey populations, which benefited wolf numbers. In some countries even unusual territories have become habitats: for example, military training grounds in Germany. 

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The restoration of the wolf in Europe could have been a great success as of the bison, however, it sparked controversial debates. Some stakeholders, mainly farmers, pointed to the increasing numbers of human-wildlife conflicts. History seems to repeat itself: due to the lack of prey, wolves predate livestock. Farmers suffer economic losses, both because of losing the population of livestock and ensuring preventive measures. This has turned into a social issue: in Belgium demonstrations started in 2021, whereas in Norway more heated debates about rural-urban divide developed. In Switzerland, farmers started calling for relaxing some laws to protect their livestock. 

Meanwhile, policy-makers and legislators try to strike a balance between interests of different stakeholders. In November 2022, the European Parliament passed a resolution protecting livestock and weakening protection of carnivores including wolves. As for the national level, in April 2023, in Germany, the government of the Bavaria region adopted a decree allowing the killing of multiple wolves instead of one when livestock is attacked. 

At the same time, conservationists keep highlighting the role of the wolf as a keystone species playing a crucial role in combating climate change. The research has shown that hunting wolves would not entirely protect livestock or solve the problem of human-wildlife conflicts. The possible solutions are reimbursing farmers for economic losses, as well as building electrical fences and using guard dogs to protect the livestock.

Although promoting co-existence of the wolves and people in Europe is currently surrounded by controversial debates, the return of wolves is another illustration of possible positive effects of human-driven conservationist actions on biodiversity. To learn how other measures including cutting edge technology can impact ecosystems, sign up for our newsletter.