The Wolf in France

The wolf has once again registered its presence in France, after announcing the disappearance of its species from France. This carnivorous animal belongs to the Canidae family, which includes around forty species, such as the jackal, the coyote, and the fox. In France, the most widespread species is the gray wolf (Canis lupus): the largest canid of its genus.

The OFB (French Office for Biodiversity, formerly known as ONCFS: National Office for Hunting and Wildlife) recently stated that the number of wolves in France is increasing remarkably . Below is some useful information about the presence of wolves in France.

The return of the wolf in France

The gray wolf species was said to have become extinct in France during the 1930s. The last individuals were spotted in Dordogne, Vienne, Haute-Vienne and Charente before their disappearance.

This extinction is due to the intensive hunting of this wild predator by cattle ranchers, biodiversity conservationists and hunters, because of its violent predation of livestock.

The OFB is responsible for the annual monitoring and collection of data concerning the presence of the wolf population in France , since their reappearance in 1992, in the Mercantour National Park, following the expansion of the Italian populations and their proliferation on French territory, from the Abruzzo massif.

However, it is not easy to estimate the size of the wolf population in France, because it is a discreet species that cannot be directly inspected. However, the multi-partner network led by OFB has been working since 1994 on the search for the necessary clues to detect the presence of this species in France.

The geographical distribution of the wolf in France 2020

According to investigations carried out at the end of summer 2020 by the Wolf-Lynx network : the organization responsible for monitoring large predators such as wolves and lynx in France, the gray wolf is present (sedentary or in packs) in 114 areas , called the permanent presence zones which include: Normandy, Grand-Est and Franche Comté, the Alpine and Provençal massifs.

At the end of July 2020, the Wolf-Lynx Network declared the area encompassing the French departments of Doubs and Jura, and extending into the Swiss canton of Vaud, to be a zone of permanent presence for gray wolves. This region was named the "Marchairuz zone."

In November 2019, the French Bureau of Bureau de ...

In the Alpine region, except for the four new areas to the west and north of Chartreuse, there is a continuous and increased densification of the population distribution in these areas:

• the south of Drôme,

• the northern tip of Vercors (38),

• the Vénéon valley (38),

• Haute Maurienne (73),

• the Haute Tarentaise (73),

• the Beaufortain massif (74),

• the Abondance valley (74), in particular, the northernmost part of the Alpine massif.

Thus, since 2019, the area where the wolf is regularly present has increased from 600 to 1100 km². ( source )

The Wolf-Lynx Network also announced that there has been a remarkable increase in the wolf's distribution area in the south-eastern quarter of France, particularly in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.

On the other hand, the coastal fringe is little affected by this phenomenon, with the exception of the Var department where the population colonizes the Maures massif, the Sainte Baume massif and moves towards the Mediterranean.

The distribution of the gray wolf in France in Occitanie is consolidating, extending to the departments of Aveyron, Hérault and Lozère, up to the border of Tarn.

A regular presence of this mammal has been confirmed since 2018 in western regions such as Aude and the Pyrénées-Orientales.

The expansion of a pack within a territory depends on the availability of prey. This species lives in forests, tundra, plains, and mountains. Therefore, it has a powerful morphology that adapts to its environment.

How many wolves are there in France?

Lynx network statistics , carried out at the end of the winter of 2019-2020, show that the wolf population in France has reached 580 individuals . The colonization of the territory can be explained by:

• legal protection laws.

• Abundance of prey: roe deer, wild ungulates and wild boar.

• The development of regions undergoing afforestation.

• An exceptional ability to disperse. For example, wolves arrived in France by crossing urbanized areas of northern Italy and the Rhône Valley, the most difficult area to cross to establish themselves in the Massif Central. No ecological constraints can limit the movement of this dynamic animal.

The gray wolf is the most well-known wild species in the world. This wild animal captivates many peoples with its power, intelligence, and pack lifestyle. As a result, it has become an essential symbol in the life rituals of many lovers of this totem animal.

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