Off the Leash: A New Era for Wolf Hunting in the EU
European lawmakers approve expanded wolf hunting measures - Opening path for increased wolf culling authorized by EU Parliament
Look out, wolves of Europe! The European Parliament has granted you a reprieve from your "strictly protected" status, with a majority vote in favor of reclassifying you as merely "protected." Although this decision is yet to be enforced by member states, the likelihood seems high considering the expressed majority favor. Many countries are champing at the bit to protect their livestock from your fangs.
Coalition's Crusade for Easing
With this decision, Germany now has the green light to alter its national legislation to enforce the new protection status for the wolf. A spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of the Environment informs us that this change doesn't occur automatically, requiring amendments to the Federal Nature Conservation Act and potentially the Federal Hunting Act.
In the coalition agreement of the new federal government, swift implementation of this EU-level decision is promised. Expect an immediate inclusion of wolves in the hunting law and a "legally secure culling" of the species.
However, the spokesperson assures us that the wolf will still retain its protected status, and shooting will only be an option for troublesome wolves. The regions facing escalating issues with your presence are to be provided with a more straightforward approach to managing the issue. The Bundesrat has also voiced its support for easier shooting.
EU's Leeway on Wolf Slaughterhouse
This decision stems from a proposal by the EU Commission, echoing earlier demands from the Parliament. The proposed changes to the Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive (FFH) will grant member states increased control over their wolf populations, provided they maintain a favorable conservation status as a top priority.
Critics Cry Fowl
Critics, such as the Greens, argue that there is no scientific basis for this decision and that farm animals could be better protected without resorting to more shooting.
German MEP Sebastian Everding, from the animal welfare party, dubs the process "scandalous." "With humans causing the mass extinction on Earth and livestock farming failing to properly protect their stock, the response of the EU is to kill a strictly protected species."
CDU/CSU group's spokesperson for environmental policy, Peter Liese, emphasizes, "People are afraid of the wolf." Despite the lack of fatal attacks on humans, they fear for their domestic animals.
Farmer Frustration
The debate over wolves is fraught with emotion. Farmers complain of increasing attacks on their livestock, such as sheep and cattle, which have become a burdensome problem in the livestock industry. Measures to deter wolves seem to be increasingly ineffective, with reports of wolves even entering stables.
The Federal Documentation and Advisory Center on the Wolf (DBBW) has documented a significant increase in livestock killed or injured by wolves over the past decade, with 5,727 animals affected by 2023, mostly sheep.
Although the wolf was once extinct in Western Europe, including Germany, a change in attitude in the 1970s and 1980s led to the wolf gaining protection in many European countries.
The Federal Ministry for the Environment estimates that around 1,600 wolves were present in Germany in the 2023/2024 monitoring year, with numbers steadily on the rise. The German Farmers' Association puts the figure at 1,800 to 3,300 animals, while the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) estimates there are over 20,000 wolves in Europe.
- Wolf
- EU Parliament
- Environment
wolf
noun, plural wolves.
- a large carnivorous mammal, Canis lupus, of the family Canidae, resembling the dog, especially in size, and having a thick coat of fur, a long body, large teeth, sharp claws, and formerly widespread feet adapted to running. See Table at Canidae.
- EU Parliamentnoun
- The legislative branch of the European Union, consisting of the elected Members of the European Parliament.
- Environmentnoun
- The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.
- The air, water, and land, and all living things in them, as a whole.
- A particular aspect of the environment, such as air and water pollution, climate change, or species extinction.
- The European Parliament, with its majority vote, has initiated a change in the environment for wolves across the EU.
- The wolf, a large carnivorous mammal, is currently under scrutiny due to its impacts on the livestock industry in various regions.
- The environment, including the surroundings and conditions of wolves, is subject to change due to the EU Parliament's decision on wolf conservation.
- The new era for wolf hunting in the EU is being influenced by decisions made within the realm of policy and legislation, including environmental-science and politics.
- The general news is buzzing with updates on the wolf, its status, and the noticeable changes in community policy regarding its conservation.
