Quotas for wolf shootings relaxed after rise in attacks in France
Farming unions say the changes do not go far enough
France is allowing higher culling quotas after rising attacks on livestock
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The French government has increased the quotas for wolf hunting this season after attacks by the animals rose by “around 10%” in 2025.
The Agriculture Ministry confirmed the increase on February 24, in a decree that appeared in the Journal Officiel. There are just over 1,000 wolves in France, the latest figures (2025) showed.
Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard said that “farmers will have the right to a defensive shot” in the event of an attack, while official ‘wolfcatchers’ (louvetiers) and members of special intervention brigades will be permitted to kill more wolves, and “to defend unprotected livestock” through organised wolf hunts.
The decree also removed wolves from the French list of protected land mammals, alongside relaxing certain hunting rules including the following:
In certain areas where there is a higher risk, hunters no longer need to have official authorisation to shoot in defence of livestock. Now, a prior declaration to the prefect is considered enough.
The procedure for ‘culling shots’ (defined as shots fired independently of an ongoing attack on livestock) has also been simplified. Farmers can now reduce wolf numbers without needing to wait until an attack happens.
The changes have been made as “initial estimates” show that “the number of wolf attacks increased by around 10% (4,441 attacks)” in 2025, the ministry said.
The killing of “wolves in the wild, except for the purpose of defending livestock”, is still prohibited.
“Derisory measures”
Yet, farming unions – including leading group FNSEA (la Fédération nationale des syndicats d'exploitants agricoles) – have criticised the new changes, stating that they are “derisory in the face of the damage recorded each year”.
The national sheep association Fédération nationale ovine, said that the raised quota was still too low, and would have “no impact on the level of damage”.
It comes after wolves were confirmed in sightings near Fréjus (Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) in recent days.
Ms Genevard responded to the criticism in a press release on February 24, stating: “I have made all the simplifications possible. If we need to go further, we will have to change the law [completely].”
