The wolf population is increasing in France. Good news for biodiversity, much less for breeders. The government is bringing together the majority parliamentarians on Wednesday morning to discuss it, this is the information in the brief.
The new wolf plan will be presented next Monday by the prefect in charge of the file but around thirty parliamentarians from the presidential majority, angry against the canine, are meeting on Wednesday September 13 at the Ministry of Agriculture.
>> The return of the wolf to Brittany: a good sign for some, a nightmare for others
Around the table, there will be Minister Marc Fesneau, and his ecological transition colleague Christophe Béchu. The two ministers must reconcile irreconcilable interests: continue to protect the wolf. “There are a little more than a thousand, it’s not thousands either,” they say at the Ministry of Ecology. According to the latest official estimate, there are 1,104 wolves in France. It is therefore a species which remains “very protected”but it is also not necessary to put “danger of death” the livestock sector. “Danger of death”these are the words of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Protecting both the species and agriculture
Who says wolf, says herd attacks. In recent years, more than 12,500 sheep have been killed by wolves. The wolves are gaining ground: they are present in 55 departments, and have arrived in Sarthe a few days ago. Sheep, and even cows, are targeted almost every night by packs somewhere in France. A situation which causes distress and anger among farmers, and puts elected officials under pressure.
The whole difficulty of the future wolf plan will be to protect both the species and agriculture. The arbitrations are still ongoing. On the one hand, the Ministry of Ecology is delighted that the number of wolves is increasing, proof that the protection of the species is proving its worth. On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture considers the situation untenable, with exasperated breeders who do not sleep at night to monitor their herd. A first version of the plan, deemed too pro-wolf, was thrown in the trash at the beginning of the summer. The number of authorized shootings against wolves will increase, in proportion to the increase in the population: 209 wolves can theoretically be killed this year. Nothing says that this will be enough to calm agricultural anger: the FNSEA is calling for a drastic limitation to 500 wolves in France. “That’s impossible, decides an advisor from the Ministry of Ecologywe have to do ‘at the same time’ on the wolf with the risk of satisfying no one.”
“The honor of having a minister”
Olivier Véran will go to Beaucaire, in the Gard, Friday September 15, on the eve of the National Rally’s back-to-school universities which will also take place in the town. This town has been run by the RN since 2014. The government spokesperson will speak with residents as part of World Democracy Day. “Coming the day before a Marine Le Pen meeting is original but welcome, quips the mayor of Beaucaire, Julien Sanchez. We really want subsidies. It’s the first time in nine years that we have the honor of having a minister and he doesn’t even come to see me at town hall.”. Olivier Véran plans other visits to RN towns after the senatorial elections at the end of September.