Protection status of the wolf is lowered: EU countries are given more room to kill the predator
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The European Parliament agreed on Thursday in Strasbourg to lower the protection status of the Wolf. It offers governments in the European Union more opportunities to kill wolves if they were a threat to the cattle.
Source: Belga
Today at 13:12
The MEPs decided by 371 against 162 votes (37 abstentions) to change the status of the Wolf in the European Habitats Directive from « strictly protected animal species » to « protected animal species ». Member States must only approve the change formally. They then receive 18 months to comply with the rules.
In concrete terms, the reduction of protection status offers the national and regional authorities who wish for more room to manage the wolven populations. There is no obligation to limit the number of animals. Member States can also choose to maintain the wolf in their national legislation as a strictly protected species.
With this adjustment, the EU adjusts its legislation to the changed status of the Wolf in the Bern Convention, a Treaty of the Council of Europe from 1979 that determines the protection of wild animal and plant species. It was the EU itself who had previously asked for this relaxation.
