The EU has taken the first step towards allowing wolf hunting
Kyiv • UNN
The European Commission is planning to lower the protected status of wolves by allowing hunting. This is the result of pressure from farmers and hunters
On Wednesday, the European Commission announced its intention to change the international status of wolves from "strictly protected" to "protected" based on "new data on population growth and impact," UNN writes citing Politico.
Details
Wolves are a strictly protected species under the EU Environment Directive and the Bern Convention, which means that their capture and shooting are prohibited, except when the animals pose a danger to humans or livestock.
If the status of wolves is changed from "strictly protected" to "protected", hunting may be allowed.
The EU executive will now seek the approval of member states before formally submitting its proposal to the Berne Convention.
Context
Hunters' and farmers' associations are calling on Brussels to change the protection status of wolves to allow them to kill more animals, claiming that farmers are "under enormous pressure" to protect their livestock.
The European People's Party, led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has also sounded the alarm over the growing number of wolf attacks, seeking to position itself as a defender of farming and rural communities ahead of next year's European elections. Von der Leyen's own pony was killed by a wolf in Germany last year, the newspaper said.
Earlier this week, environmental campaigners wrote to the European Commission, condemning that "a political decision on such an important issue is being prepared in a non-transparent manner" and emphasizing that "any decision to change the protective status of wolves must be based on sound scientific evidence."
The European Commission stated that its decision was based on an in-depth analysis of the wolf's status in the EU.
