Gray Wolf Populations In Europe Are Booming, Up 58 Percent In Just A Decade

“We report that wolves are continuing to make a remarkable comeback across Europe,” authors of a new study on their recovery write. “This is a notable conservation success, particularly in a region heavily shaped by human activity, from agriculture to urbanization.”

The Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus lupus) is one of the largest and most widely distributed subspecies of the gray wolf, roaming across vast stretches of Europe and Asia. While they share many physical and behavioral traits with their North American cousins, Eurasian wolves are often considered more elusive and “shy” in nature.

Once widespread across Europe, wolves were relentlessly hunted for centuries to prevent them from gobbling up livestock, bringing them close to extinction over the past few centuries. A few populations managed to hang on in certain pockets of Europe, but their prospects were looking very dim by the 20th century

Things changed just a few decades ago when there were fresh efforts to recover natural habitats and protect populations through hunting bans. A shift in public perception has also helped. The species was once vilified across the continent and beyond, but wolves are now increasingly welcomed by Europeans who have learned to love these ecologically crucial animals once again.

As per the new study, wild wolves can be now found in all mainland European countries, except for the three microstates of Monaco, San Marino, and The Vatican.

While some countries have fewer than 100 individuals – such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Luxembourg, Norway, and the Netherlands – several countries – Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Romania – now have booming populations of more than 1,000 individuals each.

It’s not been a uniform success across the board, though. The wolf population has increased in 19 European countries, although they have fluctuated in three countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Serbia – and decreased in three more – Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. The situation in Kosovo is also unknown.

The resurgence has come at a cost too. The researchers claim that wolves kill around 56,000 domestic animals per year in the European Union. To offset the farmers’ losses, governments have to fork out over €17 million ($18.5 million) in compensation.

That said, the new study does note that healthy wolf populations do have the potential to make “positive socio-economic impacts”, including the reduction of ungulate (hoofed mammals like deer, moose, bison, and boar) damages on forestry in some regions.

“Recent studies have argued that the return of the wolf may reduce traffic accidents involving collisions between ungulates and vehicles. For example, one study suggests that wolves consuming roe deer and wild boar prevented between 2.4 and 7.8 million EUR in road collision-related injuries and property damage annually in France,” the authors write. “Other positive aspects include wildlife tourism and commercial activities that directly or indirectly benefit from large carnivore presence.”

The remarkable resurgence of wolves in Europe stands as a testament to the power of conservation and shifting human perspectives, but harmonizing their return with humans remains a tricky business.

The study is published in the journal PLOS Sustainability and Transformation.