Howl of controversy amid farmer fury as France declares war on wolves

French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard announced on Friday that authorities have approved the culling of approximately 200 wolves as their populations expand across agricultural regions and increasingly appear near major cities.

Speaking to a French radio station, the minister said France is now home to slightly more than 1,000 wolves, explaining that the government agencies have raised the permitted culling limit from 19 percent to 21 percent of the wolf population — equivalent to just over 200 animals — with the possibility of increasing the ceiling further to 23 percent if necessary.

Genevard stated that growing wolf activity has caused escalating damage to livestock farms, placing farmers under significant financial pressure and emotional strain.

The decision follows a heated debate last year between farming groups and animal protection organizations over rising wolf numbers and repeated livestock attacks. The dispute culminated in a vote in the European Parliament, which backed measures favored by farmers.

In May, European lawmakers agreed to downgrade the wolf’s conservation status from “strictly protected” to “protected,” allowing European Union countries to authorize controlled hunting while maintaining safeguards to prevent extinction.

The European Commission, which proposed the policy change, said the decision followed extensive studies showing wolf populations growing across the EU to around 20,300 animals in 2023 — a rise that has coincided with increased livestock losses.