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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.

The wolf population in France is growing, according to this story.

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: Estimated at 530
Population trend: Increasing
Legal protection: Full protection (no exceptions), but some illegal killing and/or harassment due to livestock depredation occurs

French National Action Plan 2018-23 for wolves

This page was last updated in 2020.

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

More Information

Press coverage on the return of the wolf to France

Recent media coverage