He New level of protection of the wolf, which moves from “strictly protected” types to simple “protected” He entered into force only a few days ago, as the Council of the European Union had announced at the time.
The Modification was approved in December last year by the Bern Convention At the request of the European Union, which had asked Spain in September and with the vote against the status of the protection of Annex II to III.
Low Appendix II regime is prohibited any form of conquest or deliberate death – Including hunting – as well as the destruction or deterioration of reproduction rooms or resting areas. The trade and arrest of these animals are also prohibited.
Appendix III, things change a lot, because the Regulation is tolerant With some of these practices, on condition of “the existence of the existence of this population.” In that case, hunting can be authorized, but in a limited way in space and time.
Wolf protection status reduction
This proposal comes after the decision to reduce the status of protection of the species within the Bern agreement, a change that will come into effect on March 6, 2025. The proposal, which still has to be validated by the Member States and the European Parliament, He has aroused hard criticism of scientific and nature conservation entities. Although it opens a very dangerous door, it currently has no legal implications for Spain.
During the last 18 months, The EU has printed to reduce the protection of the wolf, despite the lack of solid scientific evidence in this regard. Thanks to their strict protection, the population of lobos They have recovered in many parts of the European continent, which is a great success of conservation postures. However, the conservation status is far from favorable and the recovery is still vulnerable.
Lower Wolf protection is a wrong decision that prioritizing political income above scienceAnd even more polarizing the debate. It does not offer real help to rural communities, while the possibility of continuing to invest in preventive measures to achieve coexistence.
It’s still the same in Spain
In its announcement, the European Commission points out that Member States will continue to have the option of maintaining a higher level of wolf protectionif it deems its national legislation necessary. In that sense, Spain can protect the current status of the protection of the Lobo, Because the reasons for recording Spanish populations in the list of wild species in Special Protection Scheme (Lesrpe) were not changed in 2021.
Moreover, the CE remembers that even if the level of protection is lowered, the Member States have the obligation to achieve and maintain the favorable conservation status in their population, Something that has not yet been achieved in Spain.
The Commission also acknowledges that “investments in adequate damage pavement measures remain essential to reduce the predation of cattle”, to support the model that Spain has promoted since 2021: a management of the wolf based on scientific evidence and coexistence with traditional activities, With the aim of achieving and maintaining a favorable conservation statement of the species.
So that Bet on coexistence between the wolf and extensive livestock farming work.Unfortunately they do not do their homework, according to our analysis of regional policy.
Danger of European nature
Rather Promotes the nature of Europe, our best ally against climatic crisesFrom loss of biodiversity and pollution, the EU continues to withdraw into one of the most impressive conservation successes in recent decades.
The EU -offensive against the wolf feels an extremely dangerous precedent for nature conservation policyBecause it throws an approach on the basis of science and the protection of types of turnover in political exchange rate speeding.
For more than three decades, the Emblematic EU Habitats Directive has protected hundreds of species and European habitats, based from extinction to emblematic species such as lobjo Or the Iberian Lynx. The NGO coalition now asks Member States and the European Parliament to protect the integrity of the Habitats Directive and to oppose any attempt to weaken it.