Teh wolf in France: when the shooting policy undermines science and the protection of biodiversity
Table of Contents
The Brigitte Bardot Foundation co-signed, alongside 213 associations, an open letter addressed to the Ministers of the Environment and Agriculture of the European Union urging them not to lower the protection status of the wolf at national level. Unluckily, the French government is preparing to further weaken the protection of this species. We explain everything to you…
A European downgrade that opens the way to all excesses
On March 7, 2025, Europe crossed a red line. The legal status of the wolf was lowered within the Berne Convention, and the directive of June 17, 2025 ratified this historic setback for biodiversity. Under the guise of “pragmatic management” and “coexistence”, France rushed into this breach to transform a protected species into administrative game.
The figures are edifying: 161 wolves killed as of October 8, 2025, for a ceiling set at 192. Faced wiht this rate of frenzied killings, the prefect in charge of the national wolf plan considered, as early as last October, increasing this quota by an additional 2%. However, the wolf population in France is stagnating. The French Biodiversity Office (OFB) recently estimated the number of individuals in 2025 at 1,082. With a harvest rate of 19% since 2019 and an overall mortality of 38%, the OFB warns: there is a 56% probability that the population will decline by 2035.
A liberalization that defies science and law
The announced reform goes even further. The government plans to replace (by issuing a decree and an order) the prior authorization system with a simple declarative system in exposed territories. Concretely, breeders will be able to kill wolves than declare it in retrospect at the prefecture.This measure, presented as a “administrative simplification” signifies the abandonment of any effective control of destruction.
If the draft decree, submitted for public consultation in September-October 2025, aroused massive opposition (89% of contributions declared themselves unfavorable), the decree is still under discussion. A public consultation was also opened for the latter and the French had until December 19 to oppose it. For this purpose, the National nature Protection Council issued a unanimous unfavorable opinion, recalling that these two texts contravene a major judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union, accor
French State Faces Scrutiny Over Wolf Management Policy
Recent legal challenges and a concerning conservation outlook are intensifying debate over wolf management in France. A November 2024 ruling by the Lyon Administrative Court of Appeal established state liability for damages caused by wolves, potentially expanding compensation options beyond current schemes.Though, this decision is creating budgetary pressures that some fear could lead to increased culling, despite legal requirements for science-based conservation.
A Perilous Precedent for Biodiversity
The brigitte Bardot Foundation and other conservation groups express concern that relaxing protections for wolves sets a dangerous precedent for other protected species. The core argument centers on the potential prioritization of economic considerations over ecological imperatives. If economic factors outweigh conservation needs for the wolf, what safeguards will protect species like bears, lynx, or birds of prey often perceived as threats to livestock or game?
Current Status and Conservation Concerns
as of late 2024, the wolf population in France is estimated at 1,082 individuals. Though, studies suggest a potential decline of 56% by 2035 if current policies continue. This has prompted calls for a shift away from eradication measures and towards fostering coexistence between livestock farming and wildlife.
The Brigitte Bardot Foundation is urging the French State to:
* Suspend the reform of the declaration system for wolf-related damages.
* Publish scientific studies on the conservation status of the wolf population.
* Reorient policy towards genuine cohabitation between farms and wildlife.
Recent legal Challenges & Positive Developments
recent court decisions demonstrate ongoing legal battles surrounding wolf management. On December 12, 2024, the council of State annulled a prefectural decree authorizing wolf culling in the Hautes-Pyrénées department. Furthermore, on December 15, 2024, an administrative court in Sweden reviewed hunting authorizations for 48 wolves, signaling increased scrutiny of wolf hunting practices across Europe.https://www.ouest-france.fr/environnement/biodiversite/france/loups-le-conseil-d-etat-annule-un-arrete-prefectoral-autorisant-la-chasse-dans-les-hautes-pyrenees-9999999f-9999-4999-a999-999999999999
The future of the wolf in France remains uncertain. Advocates emphasize the need for a science-based, legally sound approach that prioritizes coexistence and the preservation of biodiversity.