Overview

• The European Parliament voted to lower the wolf's conservation status from 'strictly protected' to 'protected,' facilitating culling in response to livestock attacks.
• The measure requires formal approval by EU member states, which is expected as many have already expressed support.
• Germany’s coalition government plans immediate legal amendments to allow regulated wolf culling under its national framework.
• Conservation groups and Green Party representatives criticize the move, citing a lack of scientific basis and advocating non-lethal herd protection measures.
• Wolf populations in the EU have rebounded to over 20,000, including approximately 1,600 in Germany, but 2023 saw 65,500 livestock losses attributed to wolf attacks across the region.