Majority of EU nations are pushing for an accelerated wolf culling.
Many EU nations are pushing for an accelerated wolf population reduction. On Wednesday, representatives from the 27 EU member states, including Germany, held discussions in Brussels and agreed to lessen the wolf's protective status and simplify hunting regulations. The German government backed this move, providing the necessary votes, but implementing the changes might take some time.
Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir advocated for this strategy months earlier, and now even Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (also Green) has conceded to the plans. Lemke justified the decision, stating, "The wolf population has evolved in such a way that this action can be justified from a conservation standpoint and is needed for livestock farmers."
Currently, in the EU, wolves can only be hunted when they exhibit erratic behavior and pose a risk to humans or livestock. According to the Environment Ministry, lowering the protective status from "strictly protected" to "protected" will allow for what they call "population management." Although wolves would still be protected, hunting would be permissible as a fundamental right.
Federal Environment Minister Lemke stressed that this change would impact only wolf management and not affect other species. "During discussions with the EU Commission, we have successfully negotiated to ensure that other species will remain unaffected by the reduction in protective status," Lemke explained. By obtaining assurances from the Commission, the minister aims to avoid a prolonged dispute over European species protection.
The environmental organization WWF previously warned that reducing the protective status for wolves could lead to a "Pandora's box." "It is likely that, following the wolf, other 'inconvenient' species may have their protective status rescinded," WWF expert Matthias Meißner elaborated.
The EU countries, including Germany, have agreed to lessen the wolf's protective status in the EU, as discussed by representatives from all 27 member states in Brussels. This decision is justified by Environmental Minister Steffi Lemke, who believes that the wolf population evolution justifies the reduction for conservation and livestock farmer needs.
