Wolf pack established in France’s Rhône region as authorities authorize defensive livestock shootings

The discovery of wolf pups in the Pilat massif has confirmed the formation of the first wolf pack identified in France’s Rhône department, according to local authorities.

Officials had already confirmed that wolves were present in the Rhône, but had not determined whether they were passing through or settling permanently. Camera traps placed near sites of livestock attacks, alongside intensified field monitoring, provided evidence of a wolf in the Pilat and confirmed the species’ establishment in the department.

The prefecture said attacks on domestic herds had increased significantly since the beginning of summer, particularly in the Pilat massif and, more recently, in western Rhône. The findings also confirmed that wolves are reproducing in the Pilat.

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Since the beginning of summer, a significant increase in predation on domestic herds has been observed in the Rhône, particularly in the Pilat massif and more recently in western Rhône.

Wolf officers will now be mobilized to carry out defensive shootings in the Pilat and western Rhône, in addition to permits already granted to farmers. Wolves remain a protected species, and intentionally killing them is generally prohibited. Lethal shootings may take place only after livestock attacks and under a strict regulatory framework.

Authorities also organized an information meeting for farmers in Claveisolles on Aug. 31. The state plans to inform mayors and livestock owners within 15 kilometers of each suspected predation site, working with the local chamber of agriculture.

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Intensified field monitoring detected the presence of pups, confirming wolf reproduction in the Pilat massif and thus establishing the formation of a first pack in this territory.