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Wolves of the World

France at a glance

The natural wolf recovery in France followed the progressive expansion of Italian wolves in the last thirty years which began in the Apennine chain. After the first confirmation of the presence of two animals in Mercantour (south-east France) and a wolf killed in Les Hautes-Alpes in 1992, the colonization process then progressed northwards along the French Alpine chain towards the north. Yearly monitoring is carried out by a network of specially organized and trained wolf-lynx correspondents. Molecular studies have also contributed to reconstructing the dispersal process of wolves and the establishment of packs in France. Main prey for wolves here are ungulates and livestock. Wolf range is approximately 5 percent of the map shown. Range lines are not depicted.

2008-2012 National Wolf Action Plan

Species Information

Species
Common Names: gray wolf, loup (French)
Latin Name: Canis lupus

Subspecies
Common Name: loup
Latin Name: Canis lupus lupus

Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
Number of wolves: About 100
Population trend: Increasing
Legal protection: Full protection (no exceptions), but some illegal killing and/or harassment due to livestock depredation occurs

Most recent data available: 2010

Wolf range in France, 2008-2012 National Wolf Action Plan