Killing wolves in France is ‘counterproductive’, say experts

The government's decision to simplify the rules allowing farmers to shoot wolves attacking livestock has been criticised by wolf experts, following sightings and attacks on sheep in several parts of France.

The departments of Mayenne, Manche and Orne in north-west France have confirmed wolf sightings and attacks on sheep in recent years. It was the first time wolves had been recorded in Manche and Orne since the species began recolonising France from Italy in the early 1990s.

The grey wolf had disappeared from France during the 1930s before returning via the Alps. Today, there are around 1,200 wolves in France, according to the French Office for Biodiversity, although population growth has slowed after increasing steadily over the past decade.

'Shooting wolves is ineffective'

Since April 2026, new rules have allowed some livestock farmers to carry out defensive wolf shootings under a simplified declaration system rather than obtaining prior authorisation from the prefecture in every case.

The annual national ceiling on the number of wolves that may be killed remains in place, with the government setting a maximum number of animals that can be destroyed each year.

However, wolf experts question whether shooting wolves is an effective way to protect livestock.

"Shooting wolves is ineffective and even counterproductive," said Annie Moreau of FERUS, the National Association for the Defence and Safeguarding of Large Predators.

"The wolf is a social animal, and functions on the basis of learning: the adults pass on their experience to the young. If a wolf approaches a herd and is repelled by dogs, or is frightened away by scare systems, it will indicate to the rest of the pack that this is an area to be avoided. If it is killed, it will obviously not be able to pass on any lessons.

"Killing a wolf only postpones the problem, as another wolf could move into the territory, so it is better to put protection measures in place."

Ms Moreau said FERUS understands the legitimate concerns of affected farmers but suggests alternative protection measures including guard dogs, high-voltage electric fences and human surveillance, which it says considerably reduce the risk of attacks. Many local authorities offer farmers financial assistance to put such measures in place.

However, some farmers argue that being able to shoot wolves attacking their livestock is necessary to protect their animals.

During a meeting of the National Wolf Group in late 2024, which aims to balance efforts to protect both wolves and livestock, eight councils from the Alps questioned official wolf counting methods, calling for a recount and an increase in the number of wolves that could be culled.

They said the then estimate of 1,013 wolves in France "does not reflect the reality of the lupine presence and the progressive worsening of its effects" and called for a significant increase in the number of wolves that could be shot.

Encouraging coexistence between farmers and 'large predators'

FERUS has run an eco-volunteer programme in the Alps and Jura since 1999 that aims to encourage coexistence between farmers and large predators.

The programme helped 24 farmers in the Alps in 2024, with almost 100 volunteers carrying out more than 1,000 days and nights of surveillance, including regular patrols. According to the association, this resulted in just two animals being lost. FERUS has said it hopes to roll out similar programmes in Brittany and Lot.

It remains unclear whether the wolves seen in north-west France were lone animals dispersing into new territories or several different individuals, but Ms Moreau said the expansion should not be a cause for concern.

"This is a normal part of the expansion of this species. When the young become adults, they leave their family unit in search of a new territory in which to settle and create their own pack. To do this, they may travel dozens or even hundreds of kilometres."

And what if walkers come face-to-face with a wolf?

"The wolf is an animal that is very wary of humans and will not come towards us. Encounters with wolves are rare in France – the wolf is not a danger to us."