Wolves lose their strict protection
09 December 2024
This week, EU member states voted to downgrade wolf protection, opening the door for widespread wolf hunts. The decision to relax wolves' status under the Bern Convention, which is an international agreement for protecting biodiversity and natural habitats, went against the advice of experts and more than 300 civil society organisations that petitioned to maintain the protection.
Eurasian wolves are native to Europe and were widespread across the continent until the 19th and 20th centuries, when they were nearly eradicated by overhunting. A keystone species, wolves maintain healthy native ecosystems by regulating deer and boar populations and maintaining balance.
In a statement released by the European Environmental Bureau, experts said the decision is "not only a death sentence for many wolves but a threat to other protected species across Europe." ClientEarth, an environmental legal group, says the Commission's consultation process was flawed, and the EU Ombudsman is now investigating it.
 | Paul Krantz Under current regulations, EU member states can already enforce their own wolf management tactics, including culling populations. Widespread wolf hunts have recently occurred in Sweden and Estonia, for example. But with wolves losing their "strictly protected" status, there may be many more hunts. The political debate around wolves has always been contentious. In many regions, calling for wolf hunts becomes a populist speaking point, and an easy way for politicians to win votes from hunters and farmers in rural areas. Ursula von der Leyen has been accused of making the issue a personal one, after a wolf killed her pet pony in 2022. |
Welcome to The European Correspondent
Europe lacks true European media: in Germany alone, there are more media devoted exclusively to football than news outlets specialising on Europe. The established players mainly focus on Brussels and European institutions. The European Correspondent aims to change that. We cover the whole of Europe and write for a community of citizens who want to look beyond their own national borders. Without European journalism, there is no European civil society.
〉Read our manifesto
〉The stories we would like to write for you
Become a donor!
The European Correspondent is fully funded by its readers. We can only produce the newsletter with your support - and work towards the bigger project: building true European media. Donate now!
With your help, we can create true European journalism. Thank you!
We are non-profit. Every donated € goes directly into The European Correspondent.