Do not let the wolf lose its protection in Spain and throughout the EU

On March 20, the Popular Party claimed in the Congress of Deputies, without providing truthful data, that wolf attacks cause annual losses of "6,000 tons of meat"—a figure inconsistent with official compensation statistics from autonomous communities. Such disinformation demonstrates the manipulative use of data to justify deregulation: "It is unacceptable to use speculative and technically unsupported figures to alarm society and weaken protection for a species that brings balance to the ecosystem", states Aïda Gascón, director of AnimaNaturalis in Spain.

The proposed Directive from the European Parliament and Council aims to modify Directive 92/43/EEC (Habitats Directive) to standardize the legal status of all wolf populations in the EU. Until now, wolves enjoyed varying protection levels by territory: in Spain, they were listed in Annexes II and IV, imposing strict protection in some regions, while others—Asturias, Cantabria—already permitted lethal controls under regional management plans.

The amendment aligns with the recent revision of the Bern Convention, driven by the European Commission, which reclassifies wolves under Annex V, opening the door to culling under 'sustainable management' criteria. Miteco states this initiative updates 1992 regulations to current population realities but fails to justify why natural self-regulation by this apex predator is insufficient.

According to Miteco's proposal, citizen input must be submitted by June 12, 2025 to the Subdirectorate General for Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity (buzon-sgb@miteco.es). However, the impact of this public participation may be diluted without adequate public awareness. "The consultation is a unique opportunity for citizens to demand transparency and scientific rigor in wolf defense", insists Gascón. "Only massive engagement can counter disinformation promoted by political and economic interests", she adds.

The timeline is tight: few weeks remain until the consultation closes, and the ministry will publish the amended directive in the EU Official Journal after reviewing comments. Pressure from hunting lobbies—with strong ties to parties like PP, Vox, Junts, PNV—seeks rural votes by promising greater predator control flexibility. Experience shows such extraordinary controls don't resolve conflicts and instead worsen conservation status.

Perceptions versus reality

Fear of large carnivores is deeply rooted in rural culture but often misaligned with objective data. A People and Nature study analyzed ranchers' perceptions of pumas (Puma concolor) in Chilean Patagonia, finding alarming discrepancies between actual feline populations and perceived damage.

Esperanza Iranzo, CREAF researcher, surveyed ranchers for a decade in Torres del Paine Biosphere Reserve. She discovered that while puma populations increased per scientific counts, threat perception remained constant or intensified: "Ranchers didn't perceive actual population growth but identified more damage. This indicates rejection stems from social and cultural perception, not tangible data", explains Iranzo.

Spain shows clear parallels. Official estimates place Iberian wolf populations at 2,000-2,500 individuals, with slight growth in depopulated northern/central zones. However, recolonization of new areas—like Catalonia's border—has raised concerns among shepherds and landowners. "When a predator colonizes new territory, initial cultural shock leads to overestimation of its abundance and danger", assesses Iranzo. "Tension normalizes over time, but negative perceptions become entrenched".

Administrative management exacerbates this: Spain's regional plans offer insufficient livestock attack compensation. While ranchers with resources benefit from wolf/bear tourism, economically vulnerable ones see wolves as insurmountable threats.

Discontent worsens with opaque data. In Asturias and Cantabria, authorized culls—according to Ecologistas en Acción and ASCEL (Association for the Conservation and Study of the Iberian Wolf)—responded not to overpopulation but local political pressure. Courts have annulled some permits for lacking scientific justification. "Listing wolves under Habitats Directive Annex V will increase killings in currently protected regions", warns Gascón. "This violates EU conservation objectives, the precautionary principle, and the legal duty to ensure favorable conservation status".

Trophic imbalance isn't hypothetical. Like in Torres del Paine—where hunting bans (1967) enabled guanaco and puma recovery—Spain's wolves are essential ungulate population controllers. Without them, deer, roe deer, and boars proliferate, causing vegetation overexploitation and zoonotic disease spread.

For AnimaNaturalis, downgrading wolf protection is a backward step for EU biodiversity conservation. Gascón stresses the need for uniform regulations recognizing wolves' irreplaceable role: "Wolves are European natural heritage deserving maximum protection territory-wide. Only then can we guarantee their ecological functions and prevent politicization from weakening a species in unfavorable conservation status".

Spain, as a Rule-of-Law state, must apply its Constitution (Article 45) and environmental legislation (RD 139/2011), not yield to self-serving amendments using 'false food waste' as pretext. Parties promoting deregulation—PP, Vox, Junts, PNV—compete for rural votes not by reducing legal safeguards but through real coexistence and compensation measures.

Your voice matters! Participate in the public consultation

The future of wolves in Spain and the EU is in your hands. AnimaNaturalis invites you to submit proposals, concerns, and demands to Miteco's Subdirectorate General for Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity:

buzon-sgb@miteco.es

Deadline: June 12, 2025

Remember: Spain's Constitution (Article 20.1.d) guarantees your right to free and truthful information. Demand transparency and scientific rigor in decision-making.