Wolves reappeared in France in the early 1990s, crossing the Alps from Italy. Their ‘strictly protected' status under European wildlife protection laws facilitated their spread.
However, following their rise in numbers across Europe, this status has been downgraded to simply 'protected' in Europe, namely to protect cattle.
Today, they are present in - or at least occasional visitors to - every region of France, with the exception of Corsica.
The Office français de la biodiversité - the agency responsible for tracking French wildlife - confirmed on October 21, 2024, that wolves had returned to Gironde, leaving only 14 mainland departments entirely wolf-free.
