European Wolves Make Rapid Recovery, Increasing 58% in a Decade

Wolf populations in Europe have made a big comeback, increasing by almost 60 percent in a single decade, according to a new study.

Populations of large carnivores are declining globally, according to a press release from the Public Library of Science (PLOS). In Europe, however, recent conservation policies have supported wolf recovery.

“We report that wolves are continuing to make a remarkable comeback across Europe, with their population growing to over 21,500 individuals by 2022 – a 58% increase in a decade,” the authors of the findings wrote. “This is a notable conservation success, particularly in a region heavily shaped by human activity, from agriculture to urbanization. Improved monitoring methods have helped us track their recovery, although these tools vary in quality and extent across countries.”

A decade earlier, the estimated wolf population had been just 12,000.

The study, “Continuing recovery of wolves in Europe,” was led by Cecilia Di Bernardi, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Ecology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), and Guillaume Chapron, an associate professor at SLU, and published in the journal PLOS Sustainability and Transformation.

For the study, the research team used wolf population data from 34 European countries. In most, populations were increasing, with just three nations reporting declines in the previous decade.

The team also examined sources of conflict between wolves and humans, such as livestock deaths. They estimated that wolves had killed 56,000 domestic animals annually in the European Union, out of a total of 279 million livestock.

The researchers found that each year there was an average 0.02 percent chance of livestock being killed by wolves. Compensation to farmers resulted in a total yearly cost to countries of 17 million euros.

However, a greater presence of wolves means less wild deer, which reduces damage to forestry plantations and traffic accidents.

“For example, one study suggests that wolves consuming roe deer and wild boar prevented between 2.4 and 7.8 million EUR in road collision-related injuries and property damage annually in France. Other positive aspects include wildlife tourism and commercial activities that directly or indirectly benefit from large carnivore presence. However, potential economic benefits from wolf presence have been poorly investigated and quantified in Europe,” the authors wrote.

The scientists pointed out that, as conservationists move from saving endangered wolf populations to sustaining their successful recovery, it will be important to adapt policies to ensure that wolves and humans can coexist sustainably in the future.

“Considering Europe’s large human population and the widespread alteration of landscapes for agriculture, industry and urbanization, the rapid recovery of wolves over the last decade highlights their extraordinary adaptability,” the press release said.