The wolf has taken advantage of the protection granted in recent years in several countries in Europe and has increased its population on the continent by almost 60% in the last decade, reports Europa Press. This growth contrasts with the decreasing trend of large carnivore populations worldwide.
According to a study led by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, published in PLOS Sustainability and Transformation, conservation policies have driven the recovery of wolves (Canis lupus) in Europe in recent decades.
To understand the current population trends, researchers collected data on the number of wolves in 34 European countries. They found that by 2022, at least 21,500 wolves lived in Europe, representing a 58% increase compared to the estimated population of 12,000 a decade earlier.
In most of the analyzed countries, wolf populations were increasing, with only three countries reporting declines over the previous decade.
Researchers also analyzed the causes of conflicts between humans and wolves, such as livestock deaths. They estimated that in the European Union, wolves killed 56,000 domestic animals per year out of a total livestock population of 279 million heads. While the risk varied among countries, on average, livestock had a 0.02% probability of being killed by wolves each year. Compensating farmers for these losses cost European countries 17 million euros annually.
Nevertheless, wolves can also have positive economic impacts, such as reducing traffic accidents and damage to forest plantations by controlling wild deer populations. However, there were not enough data available to quantify these benefits.
Considering Europe's large human population and the widespread alteration of landscapes for agriculture, industry, and urbanization, the rapid recovery of wolves over the last decade highlights their extraordinary adaptability, according to the study.
However, as conservationists shift from saving endangered populations to maintaining successful recovery, the challenge will be to adapt national and international policies to ensure that humans and wolves can coexist sustainably in the long term, the authors state.