The prefect authorizes a scaring operation

The presence of the wolf has been confirmed in Haute-Garonne, the prefecture indicates in a press release, reports France Bleu Occitanie. It authorizes an operation to scare away the animal. The animal is present in the south-east of Toulouse, in Lauragais. “State services were able to formally attribute an attack that occurred on June 25 to the wolf thanks to camera traps installed by the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB)”explains the prefect in his press release.

After around twenty wolf attacks, the prefect of Haute-Garonne has authorised an operation to scare away predators in this area, in order to stop the damage caused by the animal. “For several weeks, damage has been reported to domestic herds in Lauragais, Haute-Garonne, following around twenty attacks.“, the press release continues. A breeder from Saint-Félix had testified on France Bleu Occitanie to having lost around forty animals since April.

But it is impossible to hunt the wolf, the animal has been a protected species since 1900. “Today, its population is estimated at more than 1 000 individuals, spread across more than 50 departments”the prefecture explains. The scaring operation will be entrusted to the wolf hunting lieutenants in the area concerned, but the prefecture has not communicated the date or the conditions under which its mission will be carried out.

The Chamber of Agriculture is organizing an information meeting for breeders on Tuesday. “The Departmental Directorate of Territories (DDT) will participate to present the existing systems in detail”specifies the prefecture. Finally, in the Tarn, where the wolf is also present, the prefecture is looking for lieutenants of wolf hunting, for the period from January 1, 2025 to December 21, 2029, function “entirely voluntary which requires great availability”indicates the Tarn prefecture.