The European Commission on Monday launched a study in order to review the protected conservation status of wolves in the EU.

Wolves are currently highly protected under both German and EU law.

There are 1,200 wolves in Germany, according to official figures from 2021-2022. Experts estimate there are up to 19,000 wolves in countries across the EU, with numbers having grown by 25% over the last decade.

Wolves had long been extinct in much of Western Europe after having been systematically eradicated, and only returned to Germany two decades ago after migrating westward from Poland.

While environmental activists and others have lauded the increase in wolf populations as an example of successful conservation and oppose new culls, farmers have complained of the threat the predators pose to livestock.

Wolves 'real danger for livestock, humans' — von der Leyen

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that wolf numbers have "become a real danger for livestock and potentially also for humans” in some parts of Europe.

She urged "local and national authorities to take action where necessary," adding that current laws already allow for this possibility.

"Where there is a clear danger, local authorities are allowed to permit hunting," she said. "I think this is an absolute right."

The commission has asked scientists, local communities and other interested parties to submit data on wolf populations and their impacts by September 22.

Von der Leyen's own pet pony was killed by a wolf last year in the northwestern German state of Lower Saxony, an incident which was widely reported on in German media.

Meanwhile, German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke of the Greens said she supports rules that make it easier to shoot wolves to protect livestock.

"Shooting wolves after they have killed has to happen faster and with less bureaucracy," she told the Die Welt daily on Monday.

"When dozens of sheep are killed and lie dead on the meadow, it is a tragedy for every livestock farmer and a very great burden for those affected," she said.

"[Farmers] need more support and security," the minister stressed.

Lemke aims to present new plans by the end of September. However, these could be difficult to implement due to the fact that wolf management corresponds to powers held by the state governments. 

Farmers, conservationists disagree on wolf control measures

The head of the German Farmers' Association, Bernhard Krüsken, called Lemke's propsal a "smokescreen" in comments to the German Press Agency (dpa).

He said that that farmers want "real wolf management" and for the species' protected status to be removed, which would then allow culls.

However, German environmental groups have argued against hunting wolves.

"For the number of grazing animals killed, it is not the number of wolves that is decisive, but the number of unprotected grazing herds," Uwe Friedel, wolf expert at the BUND conservation group said.

Marie Neuwald, wolf and grazing specialist at the Nabu conservation group, asserted that even smaller numbers of wolves could pose a threat to livestock.

"Hunting does not lead to wolves keeping more distance to grazing animals," she said. Instead, she advocated for financial support for farmers to implement herd protection measures.

sdi/jcg (dpa, AP)

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