French Court Suspends Wolf Culling Authorizations in Alpes-Maritimes

The administrative tribunal in Nice halted six permits for enhanced wolf defense measures, citing doubts about their legality.

The tribunal suspended six renewed authorizations for 'reinforced defense shooting' of wolves in the Alpes-Maritimes region for 2025.
The decision followed a legal challenge by animal rights group One Voice, which questioned the compliance of the permits with legal requirements.
The court found that five of the six targeted farms did not meet the minimum threshold of three wolf attacks in the past year, as stipulated by a 2024 ministerial decree.
One Voice argued that farmers failed to demonstrate implementation of mandated protective measures such as electric fencing and guard dogs.
France's wolf population is estimated at 1,013, with a 2025 culling cap set at 192 wolves, according to the French Biodiversity Office.