France is set to ease restrictions on shooting wolves that attack livestock, in a move the government says reflects the growing spread of the predators – and amid mounting pressure from farmers.
During a visit to Haute-Marne in eastern France earlier this week, Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard and Ecological Transition Minister Mathieu Lefèvre confirmed that farmers will be allowed to shoot wolves in defence of their animals, even if their herds are not protected by fences or other deterrents.
The change marks a significant shift in policy and is aimed at responding more swiftly to attacks, which have surged in recent years.
“Whether protected or not, farmers will have the right to shoot in defence [of their animals],” Genevard said, adding that this was a necessary adaptation to the new reality on the ground.
Wolves are expanding their territory across France. Once limited to fewer than 10 departments, they are now present in more than 60. This has caused issues in newly affected areas, where livestock protection measures are still being developed.
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Rising attacks
In Haute-Marne, around 800 farm animals were killed in 2025, with a further 124 losses recorded since the start of this year.
Nationally, preliminary data suggests that 12,000 animals fell victim to wolf attacks in 2025 – a rise that has fuelled frustration and anxiety among farmers.
Until now, regulations required farmers to install protective measures before being granted permission to shoot wolves. The government argues that this approach no longer fits the evolving situation.
“The status quo in the face of such [predatory behaviour] is not possible,” Mr Lefèvre said, adding that wolves are increasingly appearing in territories “which by definition are poorly protected”.
Under the planned decree – expected in the coming weeks – farmers, specialised intervention brigades and licensed wolf hunters will be allowed to carry out targeted culling operations to defend unprotected livestock.
Compensation rules will also be relaxed slightly: payments will continue even after repeated attacks, provided farmers are actively working towards better protection, even if those measures are not yet fully in place.
However, ministers stressed that the changes are not a free pass. Farmers who benefit from wolf control measures will be expected to commit to putting protection systems in place within the following year.
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Conservation concerns
The policy shift has drawn a mixed response. For many farmers, it represents a welcome step towards greater flexibility and security.
“This is a step forward – we will have more flexibility to protect our animals,” said Lucette Nivert, a sheep farmer in Lanques-sur-Rognon. Still, she emphasised the ongoing strain felt in rural communities. "As long as the wolf is there, attacking us and making our lives hell, it will be unbearable.”
But the Association for the Protection of Wild Animals described the measures as “catastrophic” and has pledged to challenge the decree in court once it is published.
The group has long argued that the return of wolves to France has been an ecological success, helping to restore natural balance.
Alongside the regulatory changes, the government confirmed that it will raise the wolf culling quota for 2026 to 21 percent of the estimated population of 1,082 animals, with the option to increase this by a further 2 percent if needed – allowing for up to 248 wolves to be killed. This follows a 2025 quota of 19 percent, equivalent to 190 wolves.
The decision stops short of demands from several Alpine and sub-Alpine departments, which had called for a more substantial increase to 30 percent. However, ministers have signalled that further changes could be on the horizon, with an emergency agricultural bill expected to address the sensitive and increasingly urgent issue of livestock predation.
(with newswires)
