Resurgence of wolf numbers in Europe raises controversy

Wolf numbers have doubled in Europe, a continent where this animal was practically exterminated a century or more ago, which has sparked various reactions, related to several other wild animals.

In 2023, wolves reappeared in 23 countries of the European Union, with their numbers estimated at about 20,300 wolves. The European Commission indicates that "the number of wolves in the European Union countries is generally increasing."

Wolf numbers doubled

This increase in numbers is not without negative aspects, mainly due to wolf attacks on livestock, which sometimes leads to sharp arguments between wolf advocates and opponents.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who lost her horse Bonnie after it was killed by a wolf in her family's home in northern Germany, called last year for a reduction in the level of protection for gray wolves, which are now "strictly protected."

Myths about wolves

"The relationship between humans and wolves is very old, because our current dogs are descended from wolf packs, the result of the oldest domestication of animals," says Nicolas Lescureau, a researcher at the National Centre for Scientific Research in Montpellier (southern France), whose work focuses on the relationship between humans and animals.

"Wolves have been and continue to be of interest to many human societies," adds Lescureau, adding that several myths have dealt with the relationship between them and humans, such as the wolf "Fenrir" in Scandinavian mythology.

"These relationships undoubtedly became more complex with the domestication of certain species of animals (sheep, goats, cows and pigs) about ten thousand years ago," the researcher says, noting that "wolves are opportunistic predators, and wherever there is outdoor animal husbandry, predation on livestock is recorded."