The national wolf group estimates the population “stable” on French territory

La dernière attaque sur le Larzac a fait de nombreuses victimes. D .R.

Les agriculteurs du Larzac sont fréquemment touchés par des attaques sur les troupeaux de brebis, souvent attribuées au loup. En France, la population de l’espèce est jugée stable par l’Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), qui est à la manœuvre sur le dossier.

How many wolves are present on French territory ? Difficult to answer precisely this question which is of so much interest to farmers and in particular the people of South Aveyron, frequently affected by attacks on herds. However, to try to answer it, each year, the national wolf group publishes estimates. The latest has just been made public and shows an average of 1003 wolves in the territory. This figure, which appears very precise, is the average of a range established between 750 and 1350 individuals recorded, according to genetic results from the "Capture-Marking-Recapture" method.< /p>

How to interpret this figure?

Wolf defense associations immediately sounded the alarm following the publication of this figure. " This is particularly worrying information, note the associations Ferus, LPO, ASPAS, WWF, FNE and Humanité & Biodiversity in a press release. With this estimate which concretizes the scientific alerts, it is the responsibility of the government to immediately lower the ceiling of authorized destruction for 2024 taking into account this new estimate and by modifying the "technical note" of the coordinating prefect of the National Action Plan "wolf and breeding activities", and to stop advocating a downgrading of the level of protection of the species, this new estimate reinforcing the observation that it is not in a good state of conservation."

Obviously, this analysis makes Cercle 12, the breeders' defense association, cringe. "How can we believe in this drop in numbers when at the same time on a national scale it is announced (at this same meeting) an increase in damage to herds and when locally we see an increase in attacks and signs of the presence of wolves, questions Mélanie Brunet, the president. From the Causse de Sauveterre, to Larzac via Lévézou, l’Aubrac , Mont-Lozère, Caroux or even Aigoual, wolves are now everywhere and in increasing numbers since they breed in this territory." Indeed, according to the data communicated by the OFB during this meeting, damage to herds attributed to wolves is increasing, according to the general trend (see graph).

The last attack on Larzac caused numerous victims. D.R.

The FDSEA alerts the prefect of Aveyron

In a press release; press, the FDSEA and the Young Farmers "demand the immediate intervention of the wolf brigade". They question the prefect: "What is the second wolf brigade of France, inaugurated in Aveyron in July 2023&nbsp doing? ;?" "At the beginning of April, the FDSEA and the JA asked the prefect for the immediate intervention of the wolf brigade following the attack. seven attacks on sheep on six farms in Aveyron. Following expert assessments, these attacks can be attributed to the wolf. Since then, no intervention from the brigade has been made. observed."

"Not a collapse" of the species in France

The interpretation is completely different on the side of the State services, responsible for publishing this much-watched data each year. During this meeting, the French Biodiversity Office noted a "an apparent stabilization, to be followed in the coming years to assess population dynamics". Indeed, in 2022, the estimate was 1104 wolf (the figure used by associations for the defense of the species) but the confidence interval was between 825 and 1635 individuals. "We remain in the same statistical range", analyzes an observer of the file. "It’is really not & quot;a collapse", or even "towards extinction ? (wolves in France)", as we unfortunately read in the press release& ;quot;, he continues. In a letter, addressed to the members of the wolf-lynx network of Aveyron, the State services enlighten:"The comparison between two years is not sufficient to conclude on the evolution of the population, it is essential to have hindsight over several years to produce a reliable interpretation of the demographic trend ."

Larzac still affected by attacks

South Aveyron is not spared; by attacks on flocks of sheep. After a wolf was killed "mortally wounded", to use the words of the Aveyron prefecture, another had been killed. identified and seen &agrav; several times, according to testimonies. Since Sunday May 26, two attacks have been carried out. listed é Bengouzal. Four sheep were taken away. you are killed, two are still alive. euthanized, one was injured and another is missing. In addition to these last episodes, an attack was carried out. recorded on the night of Tuesday Wednesday, much more violent. Eight sheep were born. killed, 19 injured, including at least four euthanized and three missing. "The breeder is in a psychologically difficult state, d& laments M&lanie Brunet, the president of Cercle 12. He has a feeling of abandonment due to the policy pursued by the State and Europe of overprotection of wolves." Earlier in the month, the Bengouzal site was also affected. by two attacks, the intervention of the wolf brigade was strongly desired by the breeders in the sector.

Remuneration following the attacks mentioned

This national group was the opportunity for Fabienne Buccio, the prefect coordinating the national action plan on wolves and breeding activities, "to invite all the prefects of the departments concerned to implement all measures to support breeders upstream of the arrival of the wolf, thus bringing the number of departments eligible for the protection aid system, of which Aveyron is part.

This meeting made it possible to present avenues of work regarding the remuneration of farmers following attacks on herds. This takes into account in particular the losses in the herd, the disturbance of the herd (abortions, drop in lactation, genetic selection component…).

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