What's happened
On December 3, 2024, the European Union voted to downgrade the protection status of wolves, allowing for regulated hunting. This decision, aimed at addressing livestock predation, has sparked significant backlash from conservationists who fear it could reverse decades of recovery efforts for the species.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Guardian reported that the downgrade of wolves' protection status was met with outrage from conservationists, with Marta Klimkiewicz from ClientEarth stating it was a 'green light to shoot wolves.' AP News highlighted the EU's justification for the change, citing the need for better protection for farmers' livelihoods. The Independent echoed these sentiments, noting that the wolf remains endangered in many areas and that weakening protections could exacerbate conflicts. BBC News provided insights from farmers like Jozsef Racz, who emphasized the challenges of protecting livestock from predators, advocating for a more balanced approach to wildlife management.
How we got here
The EU's decision follows rising tensions between farmers and wolves, which have rebounded in numbers due to conservation efforts. The proposal to downgrade wolves from 'strictly protected' to 'protected' status was adopted by the Bern Convention, effective March 2025.
More on these topics
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen is a German politician and the president of the European Commission since 1 December 2019. She served in the federal government of Germany from 2005 to 2019 as the longest-serving member of Angela Merkel's cabinet.