© Mariëlle van Uitert / WWF

Deer, elk, and wild boars caused millions in damages last year. Shooting wolves could make the situation even worse

As of today, the Bern Convention’s decision to downgrade the strict protection status of wolves enters into force, despite no scientific justification for the move. The decision paves the way for weakened protection across Europe, with the European Commission now expected to align the Habitats Directive with this controversial downgrade.

Conservationists warn that this shift could backfire, undermining decades of wolf recovery efforts and escalating conflicts with rural communities instead of solving them.

“Wolves keep our fragile ecosystems in balance, and the decision to downgrade their protection could quickly backfire,” says Sabien Leemans, Senior Biodiversity Policy Officer at WWF European Policy Office. “It took decades of conservation efforts to bring wolves back from the brink of extinction. The obvious, scientifically justified step would be to invest in preventive measures that provide real support to rural communities—not to weaken protections.”

While the Bern Convention’s decision is sparking debate across Europe, Slovakia had already taken independent steps to weaken wolf protection, announcing plans in December 2024 to lift year-round wolf protection and allow the hunting of up to 74 wolves in the 2024/2025 season. Slovak authorities argue that wolf hunting is necessary to prevent conflicts with farmers. However, official data contradicts this claim: in 2023, wolves accounted for just 0.14% of all livestock losses in Slovakia. Meanwhile, deer, elk, and wild boars caused an estimated €20 million in damage to agriculture and forests—far greater losses than wolves.

Ungulates such as deer, elk, and wild boars are the wolf’s natural prey, making their presence in forests essential. “The wolf serves as a natural regulator in the ecosystem. It mainly hunts weaker and sick animals, which not only improves the overall health of these populations but also helps reduce the damage they cause in forests and agricultural fields,” explains Branislav Tám, a large carnivore conservation expert from WWF-Slovakia.

Why Culling Wolves Could Backfire
Despite claims that hunting will reduce conflicts, studies have shown that randomly removing wolves from a population can lead to unexpected consequences:

• Disrupting pack structures – When alpha wolves are killed, packs lose coordination, and younger wolves turn to livestock instead of wild prey.
• Triggering higher reproduction rates – studies show that hunting can trigger higher birth rates, as more females breed to compensate for lost pack members.
• Allowing deer and boar populations to surge – with fewer wolves, ungulates multiply unchecked, causing greater agricultural and forest damage.

Czechia Condemns Slovakia’s Actions

Slovakia’s decision has angered neighboring Czechia, where wolves remain strictly protected. Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladík has formally demanded explanations from Slovakia, arguing that wolves don’t recognize national borders and that the hunt could destabilize the entire regional population. Because wolves roam freely between Slovakia and Czechia, conservationists fear that Slovakia’s hunt could undermine Czech conservation efforts, affecting ecosystems beyond its own borders.

Proven Solutions Exist

Most wolf-related livestock losses can be prevented using well-established protective measures such as: electric fences, livestock guardian dogs, or improved farm management strategies. These techniques have already proven effective in Slovakia and across Europe. Yet Slovakia has failed to provide adequate funding for these solutions. Unlike some neighboring countries, it does not subsidize livestock guardian dog feed, making it harder for farmers to afford such solutions.

“Shepherds and farms that use enough well-trained guardian dogs report little to no losses from wolves,” explains Marek Kuchta from the Slovakian environmental organization My sme les.

“We need to invest in real solutions that help farmers, not in short-sighted hunting policies that will make the situation worse,” says Katarína Butkovská, a biodiversity expert at WWF-Slovakia.

As EU lawmakers prepare to reshape wolf conservation policy, the future of Europe’s ecosystems—and the communities that rely on them—hangs in the balance.