Overview

• The European Parliament voted on May 8 to downgrade the wolf's status from 'strictly protected' to 'protected,' with 371 votes in favor, 162 against, and 37 abstentions.
• The new EU directive will take effect 20 days after its formal publication, giving member states 18 months to integrate the changes into national laws.
• Spain's regions, including Galicia and Castilla y León, are advancing wolf management plans, with Galicia reviewing three ambush-hunt requests to address livestock predation.
• Environmental organizations have filed legal challenges in regional courts, opposing hunting authorizations and seeking to preserve strict wolf protections.
• The EU wolf population has nearly doubled over the past decade to 20,300, with annual livestock losses estimated at 65,500, intensifying debates over conservation and rural livelihoods.