Threats:
(1) Some populations (e.g. Scandinavia) are small and isolated, and are therefore at risk.
(2) Human tolerance is often very low, especially in areas where wolves return after an absence. Wolf depredation on livestock, competition with hunters for wild ungulates, create obvious conflicts. People often fear wolves, and in many cases wolves become symbols of a range of other conflicts between rural and urban areas.
(3) Human caused mortality is the most important factor affecting wolves, from poaching and hunting. It is vital to combat poaching and ensure that hunting and lethal control are kept within sustainable limits.
Distribution:
Distribution maps available from Data Dryad
Status:
c. 17,000 in Europe (of which 13,000 to 14,000 are in the EU)
9 populations
|
Population name
|
Countries
|
Size (
2012-2016)
|
Trend
|
|
Scandinavian
|
Norway, Sweden
|
c. 430
|
Increase
|
|
Karelian
|
Finland
|
c. 200
|
Stable to increase
|
|
Baltic
|
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland
|
1700 - 2240
|
Stable
|
|
Central European lowlands
|
Germany, Poland
|
780-1030
|
Increase
|
|
Carpathian
|
Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Serbia
|
3460 - 3849
|
Stable
|
|
Dinaric-Balkan
|
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Albania, Serbia (incl. Kosovo*), Greece, Bulgaria
|
c. 4000
|
Unknown
|
|
Alps
|
Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia
|
420 - 550
|
Increase
|
|
Italian peninsula
|
Italy
|
1100 - 2400
|
Slightly increasing
|
|
NW Iberian
|
Spain, Portugal
|
No recent update, but 2007 estimate was 2500
|
Unknown
|
|
Sierra Morena
|
Spain
|
0
|
Extinct
|
Link - IUCN Red List Assessment for wolves