Continuing recovery of wolves in Europe

Cecilia Di Bernardi; Guillaume Chapron; Petra Kaczensky; Francisco Álvares; Henrik Andrén; Vaidas Balys; Juan Carlos Blanco; Silviu Chiriac; Duško Ćirović; Nolwenn Drouet-Hoguet; Djuro Huber; Yorgos Iliopoulos; Ilpo Kojola; Miha Krofel; Miroslav Kutal; John D.C. Linnell; Aleksandra Majić Skrbinšek; Peep Männil; Francesca Marucco; Dime Melovski; Deniz Mengüllüoğlu; Joachim Mergeay; Robert W. Mysłajek; Sabina Nowak; Jānis Ozoliņš; Nathan Ranc; Ilka Reinhardt; Robin Rigg; Valeria Salvatori; Laurent Schley; Peter Sunde; Aleksandër Trajçe; Igor Trbojević; Arie Trouwborst; Manuela von Arx; Diana Zlatanova; Luigi Boitani

doi:10.1371/journal.pstr.0000158

Continuing recovery of wolves in Europe

Cecilia Di Bernardi^*
, Guillaume Chapron
, Petra Kaczensky
, Francisco Álvares
, Henrik Andrén
, Vaidas Balys
, Juan Carlos Blanco
, Silviu Chiriac
, Duško Ćirović
, Nolwenn Drouet-Hoguet
, Djuro Huber
, Yorgos Iliopoulos
, Ilpo Kojola
, Miha Krofel
, Miroslav Kutal
, John D.C. Linnell
, Aleksandra Majić Skrbinšek
, Peep Männil
, Francesca Marucco
, Dime Melovski

Deniz Mengüllüoğlu, Joachim Mergeay, Robert W. Mysłajek, Sabina Nowak, Jānis Ozoliņš, Nathan Ranc, Ilka Reinhardt, Robin Rigg, Valeria Salvatori, Laurent Schley, Peter Sunde, Aleksandër Trajçe, Igor Trbojević, Arie Trouwborst, Manuela von Arx, Diana Zlatanova, Luigi Boitani

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Ecoscience - Wildlife Ecology

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The recovery of wolves (Canis lupus) across Europe is a notable conservation success in a region with extensive human alteration of landscapes and high human population densities. We provide a comprehensive update on wolf populations in Europe, estimated at over 21,500 individuals by 2022, representing a 58% increase over the past decade. Despite the challenges of high human densities and significant land use for agriculture, industry, and urbanization, wolves have demonstrated remarkable adaptability and increasing population trends in most European countries. Improved monitoring techniques, although varying in quality and scope, have played a crucial role in tracking this recovery. Annually, wolves kill approximately 56,000 domestic animals in the EU, a risk unevenly distributed and differently handled across regions. Damage compensation costs 17 million EUR every year to European countries. Positive economic impacts from wolf presence, such as those related to reducing traffic accidents with wild ungulates or supporting wildlife tourism, remain under studied. Wolf recovery in Europe is supported by diverse policy and legal instruments such as LIFE programs, stakeholder platforms, as well as the EU Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention. Coexisting with newly established wolf populations in Europe entails managing impacts on human activities, including livestock depredation, competition for game, and fear of attacks on humans, amidst varying social and political views on wolf recovery. Sustainable coexistence continues to operate in evolving and complex social, economic, and political landscapes, often characterized by intense debates regarding wolf policies.

Original language	English
Article number	e0000158
Journal	PLOS Sustainability and Transformation
Volume	4
Issue	2 February
ISSN	2767-3197
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pstr.0000158
Publication status	Published - Feb 2025

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Bernardi, C. D., Chapron, G., Kaczensky, P., Álvares, F., Andrén, H., Balys, V., Blanco, J. C., Chiriac, S., Ćirović, D., Drouet-Hoguet, N., Huber, D., Iliopoulos, Y., Kojola, I., Krofel, M., Kutal, M., Linnell, J. D. C., Skrbinšek, A. M., Männil, P., Marucco, F., ... Boitani, L. (2025). Continuing recovery of wolves in Europe. PLOS Sustainability and Transformation, 4(2 February), Article e0000158. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pstr.0000158

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title = "Continuing recovery of wolves in Europe",

abstract = "The recovery of wolves (Canis lupus) across Europe is a notable conservation success in a region with extensive human alteration of landscapes and high human population densities. We provide a comprehensive update on wolf populations in Europe, estimated at over 21,500 individuals by 2022, representing a 58\% increase over the past decade. Despite the challenges of high human densities and significant land use for agriculture, industry, and urbanization, wolves have demonstrated remarkable adaptability and increasing population trends in most European countries. Improved monitoring techniques, although varying in quality and scope, have played a crucial role in tracking this recovery. Annually, wolves kill approximately 56,000 domestic animals in the EU, a risk unevenly distributed and differently handled across regions. Damage compensation costs 17 million EUR every year to European countries. Positive economic impacts from wolf presence, such as those related to reducing traffic accidents with wild ungulates or supporting wildlife tourism, remain under studied. Wolf recovery in Europe is supported by diverse policy and legal instruments such as LIFE programs, stakeholder platforms, as well as the EU Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention. Coexisting with newly established wolf populations in Europe entails managing impacts on human activities, including livestock depredation, competition for game, and fear of attacks on humans, amidst varying social and political views on wolf recovery. Sustainable coexistence continues to operate in evolving and complex social, economic, and political landscapes, often characterized by intense debates regarding wolf policies.",

author = "Bernardi, \{Cecilia Di\} and Guillaume Chapron and Petra Kaczensky and Francisco {\'A}lvares and Henrik Andr{\'e}n and Vaidas Balys and Blanco, \{Juan Carlos\} and Silviu Chiriac and Du{\v s}ko {\'C}irovi{\'c} and Nolwenn Drouet-Hoguet and Djuro Huber and Yorgos Iliopoulos and Ilpo Kojola and Miha Krofel and Miroslav Kutal and Linnell, \{John D.C.\} and Skrbin{\v s}ek, \{Aleksandra Maji{\'c}\} and Peep M{\"a}nnil and Francesca Marucco and Dime Melovski and Deniz Meng{\"u}ll{\"u}oğlu and Joachim Mergeay and Mys{\l}ajek, \{Robert W.\} and Sabina Nowak and Jānis Ozoliņ{\v s} and Nathan Ranc and Ilka Reinhardt and Robin Rigg and Valeria Salvatori and Laurent Schley and Peter Sunde and Aleksand{\"e}r Traj{\c c}e and Igor Trbojevi{\'c} and Arie Trouwborst and \{von Arx\}, Manuela and Diana Zlatanova and Luigi Boitani",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Di Bernardi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.",

year = "2025",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1371/journal.pstr.0000158",

language = "English",

volume = "4",

journal = "PLOS Sustainability and Transformation",

issn = "2767-3197",

publisher = "Public Library of Science (PLoS)",

number = "2 February",

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Bernardi, CD, Chapron, G, Kaczensky, P, Álvares, F, Andrén, H, Balys, V, Blanco, JC, Chiriac, S, Ćirović, D, Drouet-Hoguet, N, Huber, D, Iliopoulos, Y, Kojola, I, Krofel, M, Kutal, M, Linnell, JDC, Skrbinšek, AM, Männil, P, Marucco, F, Melovski, D, Mengüllüoğlu, D, Mergeay, J, Mysłajek, RW, Nowak, S, Ozoliņš, J, Ranc, N, Reinhardt, I, Rigg, R, Salvatori, V, Schley, L, Sunde, P, Trajçe, A, Trbojević, I, Trouwborst, A, von Arx, M, Zlatanova, D & Boitani, L 2025, 'Continuing recovery of wolves in Europe', PLOS Sustainability and Transformation, vol. 4, no. 2 February, e0000158. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pstr.0000158

TY - JOUR

T1 - Continuing recovery of wolves in Europe

AU - Bernardi, Cecilia Di

AU - Chapron, Guillaume

AU - Kaczensky, Petra

AU - Álvares, Francisco

AU - Andrén, Henrik

AU - Balys, Vaidas

AU - Blanco, Juan Carlos

AU - Chiriac, Silviu

AU - Ćirović, Duško

AU - Drouet-Hoguet, Nolwenn

AU - Huber, Djuro

AU - Iliopoulos, Yorgos

AU - Kojola, Ilpo

AU - Krofel, Miha

AU - Kutal, Miroslav

AU - Linnell, John D.C.

AU - Skrbinšek, Aleksandra Majić

AU - Männil, Peep

AU - Marucco, Francesca

AU - Melovski, Dime

AU - Mengüllüoğlu, Deniz

AU - Mergeay, Joachim

AU - Mysłajek, Robert W.

AU - Nowak, Sabina

AU - Ozoliņš, Jānis

AU - Ranc, Nathan

AU - Reinhardt, Ilka

AU - Rigg, Robin

AU - Salvatori, Valeria

AU - Schley, Laurent

AU - Sunde, Peter

AU - Trajçe, Aleksandër

AU - Trbojević, Igor

AU - Trouwborst, Arie

AU - von Arx, Manuela

AU - Zlatanova, Diana

AU - Boitani, Luigi

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 Di Bernardi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

PY - 2025/2

Y1 - 2025/2

N2 - The recovery of wolves (Canis lupus) across Europe is a notable conservation success in a region with extensive human alteration of landscapes and high human population densities. We provide a comprehensive update on wolf populations in Europe, estimated at over 21,500 individuals by 2022, representing a 58% increase over the past decade. Despite the challenges of high human densities and significant land use for agriculture, industry, and urbanization, wolves have demonstrated remarkable adaptability and increasing population trends in most European countries. Improved monitoring techniques, although varying in quality and scope, have played a crucial role in tracking this recovery. Annually, wolves kill approximately 56,000 domestic animals in the EU, a risk unevenly distributed and differently handled across regions. Damage compensation costs 17 million EUR every year to European countries. Positive economic impacts from wolf presence, such as those related to reducing traffic accidents with wild ungulates or supporting wildlife tourism, remain under studied. Wolf recovery in Europe is supported by diverse policy and legal instruments such as LIFE programs, stakeholder platforms, as well as the EU Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention. Coexisting with newly established wolf populations in Europe entails managing impacts on human activities, including livestock depredation, competition for game, and fear of attacks on humans, amidst varying social and political views on wolf recovery. Sustainable coexistence continues to operate in evolving and complex social, economic, and political landscapes, often characterized by intense debates regarding wolf policies.

AB - The recovery of wolves (Canis lupus) across Europe is a notable conservation success in a region with extensive human alteration of landscapes and high human population densities. We provide a comprehensive update on wolf populations in Europe, estimated at over 21,500 individuals by 2022, representing a 58% increase over the past decade. Despite the challenges of high human densities and significant land use for agriculture, industry, and urbanization, wolves have demonstrated remarkable adaptability and increasing population trends in most European countries. Improved monitoring techniques, although varying in quality and scope, have played a crucial role in tracking this recovery. Annually, wolves kill approximately 56,000 domestic animals in the EU, a risk unevenly distributed and differently handled across regions. Damage compensation costs 17 million EUR every year to European countries. Positive economic impacts from wolf presence, such as those related to reducing traffic accidents with wild ungulates or supporting wildlife tourism, remain under studied. Wolf recovery in Europe is supported by diverse policy and legal instruments such as LIFE programs, stakeholder platforms, as well as the EU Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention. Coexisting with newly established wolf populations in Europe entails managing impacts on human activities, including livestock depredation, competition for game, and fear of attacks on humans, amidst varying social and political views on wolf recovery. Sustainable coexistence continues to operate in evolving and complex social, economic, and political landscapes, often characterized by intense debates regarding wolf policies.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105002029402

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pstr.0000158

DO - 10.1371/journal.pstr.0000158

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:105002029402

SN - 2767-3197

VL - 4

JO - PLOS Sustainability and Transformation

JF - PLOS Sustainability and Transformation

IS - 2 February

M1 - e0000158

ER -

Continuing recovery of wolves in Europe

Abstract

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