Strengthening Species Survival through Ecological Recovery....

Ecological Recovery and Species survival go hand in hand.

Following inadequate consideration of the true case for wolf conservation, yet another report commissioned by the European Commission has failed to adequately take into account ecological processes and dynamic interactions.

With the legal appeal against a decision to lower the protection of wolves underway, a new methodology has been proposed, (again paid for by the European Commission), who are keen to lower protection for wolves despite the science showing their population health has still not recovered, and that non-lethal methods of control are more effective than culling.

The methodology report apparently supports wolf conservation but should you wish to read the detail, the content actually reveals a case for undermining wolf recovery, and indeed, that of the wider environment too.

In response, based on concerns that a report such as this should not be circulated unchecked, this rebuttal aims to draw attention to how the methodology may in fact weaken the case for wolf protection by:

i. the authors dismissal of the concept and need for ecological recovery, 

ii. the authors false assumptions with regard to wolf behaviour in human modified landscapes, and 

iii. the complexity of their proposal which potentially deems it as an unrealistic and overly complex approach for assessing wolf management that can not be enforced.  

Linnel and Boitani’s overall conclusion recommends accepting the status quo in support of lethal killing, going against scientific evidence proving alternative methods deliver better results, whilst also deflecting attention away from progressive thinking geared towards recovering degraded habitats. Even though evidence outside of the  report, emphasises restoration and recovery as an urgent need. 

You can read the read the Rebuttal here:

Wolf Rebuttal_ to proposed methodology_2025.pdf

Download PDF • 334KB

You can read trhe original methodology here

And to go deeper read Self-Willed land http://www.self-willed-land.org.uk/articles/shoot_shovel_silence.htm

If you wish to support this piece, please don't hesitate to contact us and share as we are keen a potentially harmful report can not be used as evidence against the protection of species and habitats.

jkafallon@gmail.com / 07887 812 297