Downgrading Wolf Protection Status: A Decision Foreseen but Regrettable, Says the International Union for Conservation of Nature

The announcement came as no surprise, yet it is deeply lamented by biodiversity advocates. On Tuesday, December 3, Maud Lelièvre, President of the French Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), expressed her concerns on franceinfo following the decision by the 49 member states of the Bern Convention. They approved the downgrading of the wolf’s protection status from “strictly protected” to “protected.” This measure, long sought by many livestock farmers, will now make it easier to cull the predator.

A contested but expected decision

“This was a decision we have been dreading for years,” said Maud Lelièvre. According to her, the move reflects a persistent misunderstanding of the wolf’s critical role in ecosystems. “Since 2019, Norway has been challenging the Bern Convention, and in 2022, Switzerland had already questioned the wolf’s status,” she noted, highlighting a gradual shift towards this outcome.

Wolves: Key regulators of biodiversity

“As a top predator in the food chain, wolves play a vital role in regulating populations of ungulates such as deer and roe deer,” explained Maud Lelièvre. However, she acknowledged the ongoing challenges of coexistence between large predators and human activities, particularly in agriculture.

For years, conservation groups have been advocating effective alternatives to mitigate predation: electric fencing, protection dogs (like the Pyrenean mastiff), and increased surveillance of herds. While these methods have proven effective, they cannot completely eliminate risks. Nevertheless, according to data from the European Commission, wolves account for just 0.065% of the European sheep herd losses—an extremely small figure compared to the concerns voiced by some farmers.

A decision with controversial consequences

Maud Lelièvre also warned of the unintended consequences of culling: “Wolves live in packs with a highly complex social structure. Random culling risks disrupting these groups without necessarily removing the individuals responsible for attacks on livestock.”

Although the wolf population in Europe has doubled over the past decade, reaching approximately 20,300 individuals in 2023, the situation remains far from uniform. “Among the nine wolf subspecies in Europe, six are classified as vulnerable or near-threatened,” noted the IUCN President, citing the organization’s species barometer.

In conclusion, while this decision marks a significant turning point, biodiversity advocates stress the importance of finding sustainable solutions that allow humans and this emblematic animal to coexist. “Wolves were here before us,” Maud Lelièvre reminded, “and it is our responsibility to maintain balance.”