* The Observer<http://observer.guardian.co.uk/>,
Saturday 4 January 2014 14.22 EST
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From the steppe to central Spain, Europe echoes to the howl of the wolf
The shepherds' ancient foe is back in numbers – and now packs are breeding a mere 40 miles from Madrid
Spain is now a wolf stronghold. There are thought to be more than 250 breeding groups and more than 2,000 individuals. Photograph: Steven Ruiter/Corbis
A twig snaps, a crow calls, but nothing
moves in the dense pine forests ofSpain's Guadarrama mountains. Vultures and
eagles soar over the snowcapped peaks
and wild boars roam the valleys below,
as they have for centuries. But for the
farmers who work this land, a
threatening and worrying comeback
is taking place in this timeless
landscape, home to Spain's newest
national park.
moves in the dense pine forests ofSpain's Guadarrama mountains. Vultures and
eagles soar over the snowcapped peaks
and wild boars roam the valleys below,
as they have for centuries. But for the
farmers who work this land, a
threatening and worrying comeback
is taking place in this timeless
landscape, home to Spain's newest
national park.
After an absence of 70 years, the wolf
is back in the Guadarrama hills and
breeding just 40 miles from Madrid.
is back in the Guadarrama hills and
breeding just 40 miles from Madrid.
There have been sightings for several
years of lone males, but camera traps
recently picked up a family of three
cubs, two adults and a juvenile. To
the consternation of the farmers who
believed that this ancient foe had left
the hills for ever, breeding packs are
expected to follow. The bloody results
are plain to see. In the past two months
around 100 sheep and cattle have been
killed near Buitrago, in the northern
foothills of the Guadarrama mountains,
says Juan Carlos Blanco, a wolf
specialist and adviser to the Spanish
environment ministry.
years of lone males, but camera traps
recently picked up a family of three
cubs, two adults and a juvenile. To
the consternation of the farmers who
believed that this ancient foe had left
the hills for ever, breeding packs are
expected to follow. The bloody results
are plain to see. In the past two months
around 100 sheep and cattle have been
killed near Buitrago, in the northern
foothills of the Guadarrama mountains,
says Juan Carlos Blanco, a wolf
specialist and adviser to the Spanish
environment ministry.
"Guadarrama can support two, even
three, packs. We think there are now
six packs within 100km of Madrid. When
they arrive in a new area the shepherds
do not know what to do. Then they find
ways to protect their flocks with dogs or
fences. It's a natural event and the wolf
will not go away now," he says. "Maybe
hunters will exterminate one pack, but
others will take its place. Wolves are very
flexible and resilient."
three, packs. We think there are now
six packs within 100km of Madrid. When
they arrive in a new area the shepherds
do not know what to do. Then they find
ways to protect their flocks with dogs or
fences. It's a natural event and the wolf
will not go away now," he says. "Maybe
hunters will exterminate one pack, but
others will take its place. Wolves are very
flexible and resilient."
Spain is now a wolf stronghold. While the
population had diminished to just a few
packs in isolated regions in the 1960s,
there are now thought to be more than
250 breeding groups and more than
2,000 individuals.
population had diminished to just a few
packs in isolated regions in the 1960s,
there are now thought to be more than
250 breeding groups and more than
2,000 individuals.
"As wolf numbers grow so does the
number of attacks on animals. From
2005 there were about 1,500 attacks
a year. Then in 2008 it jumped to over
2,000," says Luis Suárez, WWF
biodiversity officer in Madrid. "In the
past seven years 13,000 sheep, 200
goats and several hundred cows have
been attacked across Spain."
number of attacks on animals. From
2005 there were about 1,500 attacks
a year. Then in 2008 it jumped to over
2,000," says Luis Suárez, WWF
biodiversity officer in Madrid. "In the
past seven years 13,000 sheep, 200
goats and several hundred cows have
been attacked across Spain."
In the 19th century the European wolf
was almost driven to extinction as
hunters made a living from the bounties
paid by villagers. But conservationists
are surprised at how fast wolves have
returned during recent years, populating
areas where they were last seen more
than 100 years ago.
was almost driven to extinction as
hunters made a living from the bounties
paid by villagers. But conservationists
are surprised at how fast wolves have
returned during recent years, populating
areas where they were last seen more
than 100 years ago.
Wolf populations in Europe quadrupled
between 1970 and 2005 and there may
now be 25,000 animals, says the
International Union forConservation
of Nature. They have been seen within
a few miles of major cities including
Berlin, Rome and Athens. Last month
one was found near the Dutch hamlet
of Luttelgeest, just 30 miles from
Holland's densely populated North
Sea coast.
between 1970 and 2005 and there may
now be 25,000 animals, says the
International Union forConservation
of Nature. They have been seen within
a few miles of major cities including
Berlin, Rome and Athens. Last month
one was found near the Dutch hamlet
of Luttelgeest, just 30 miles from
Holland's densely populated North
Sea coast.
They are also reportedly expanding
their range in France, Germany,
Poland, Scandinavia and Italy, with
sightings in Belgium and Denmark.
In the past 10 years, says Blanco,
wolves have arrived in the Pyrenees
from Italy and the Alps. "They have
crossed 450km and a lot of roads
to get there. So far they are not
breeding there, but it's only a matter
of time," he says.
their range in France, Germany,
Poland, Scandinavia and Italy, with
sightings in Belgium and Denmark.
In the past 10 years, says Blanco,
wolves have arrived in the Pyrenees
from Italy and the Alps. "They have
crossed 450km and a lot of roads
to get there. So far they are not
breeding there, but it's only a matter
of time," he says.
In Germany, where they were hunted
out of existence in the 19th century,
there are now thought to be around
160 wolves in 17 packs in the state
of Brandenburg. Cubs were born last
year in Heidekreis in Lower Saxony
for the first time in 150 years, and
there were sightings in the states
of Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz.
out of existence in the 19th century,
there are now thought to be around
160 wolves in 17 packs in the state
of Brandenburg. Cubs were born last
year in Heidekreis in Lower Saxony
for the first time in 150 years, and
there were sightings in the states
of Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz.
"The wolf has been able to reclaim
territory in the Alps by crossing over
from Italy and it has now spread as
far as the Lozère region in central
France. In 2012, individuals from
the Alpine population formed the f
irst pack in 150 years in the Calanda
mountains of Switzerland and four
cubs were confirmed to have been
born this year," says a report from
the Zoological Society of London
and others.
territory in the Alps by crossing over
from Italy and it has now spread as
far as the Lozère region in central
France. In 2012, individuals from
the Alpine population formed the f
irst pack in 150 years in the Calanda
mountains of Switzerland and four
cubs were confirmed to have been
born this year," says a report from
the Zoological Society of London
and others.
Wolves traditionally flourish in times of
political and economic crisis. Their return
to Europe in the past 20 years is thought
to be linked to widespread rural depopulatio
n and the collapse of the Soviet Union. The
demise of the USSR saw a near 50%
increase in the number of wolves in the
1990s, as animals that had been kept
under control by state-sponsored culling
were left to roam unchecked and many
packs crossed into sparsely populated
areas of Poland, Germany and Scandinavia.
political and economic crisis. Their return
to Europe in the past 20 years is thought
to be linked to widespread rural depopulatio
n and the collapse of the Soviet Union. The
demise of the USSR saw a near 50%
increase in the number of wolves in the
1990s, as animals that had been kept
under control by state-sponsored culling
were left to roam unchecked and many
packs crossed into sparsely populated
areas of Poland, Germany and Scandinavia.
Some conservationists say the economic
recession in Spain, Portugal, Greece
and elsewhere has also helped them
spread into new areas. "People have
migrated from rural areas, allowing the
wolf to reoccupy abandoned land.
The recession has left less money
for farmers to protect their animals,
says Suárez. "More money in the
economy means more money for
protection. Worse circumstances
in the recession have seen a progression
of rural people to the cities and an
increase in wolf numbers," he says.
recession in Spain, Portugal, Greece
and elsewhere has also helped them
spread into new areas. "People have
migrated from rural areas, allowing the
wolf to reoccupy abandoned land.
The recession has left less money
for farmers to protect their animals,
says Suárez. "More money in the
economy means more money for
protection. Worse circumstances
in the recession have seen a progression
of rural people to the cities and an
increase in wolf numbers," he says.
"Land is being abandoned. The woods
regrow, so there are more deer, less
hunting pressure, and more food for
wolves," says Peter Taylor, British
ecologist and editor of Rewilding
journal, who lives in the Czech
Republic. "Wolves are returning
to many of their old haunts in Europe
and also wandering into long-
forgotten territory. There are
breeding pairs now in Germany,
Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Croatia,
Alpine Italy, the Apennines and
Alpine France," he says.
regrow, so there are more deer, less
hunting pressure, and more food for
wolves," says Peter Taylor, British
ecologist and editor of Rewilding
journal, who lives in the Czech
Republic. "Wolves are returning
to many of their old haunts in Europe
and also wandering into long-
forgotten territory. There are
breeding pairs now in Germany,
Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Croatia,
Alpine Italy, the Apennines and
Alpine France," he says.
"Wolves have always been hated by
country people, but they do not t
hreaten people," says Blanco, who
expects to see numbers continue
to grow in the next decade. "We
must help farmers tolerate them,"
he says. But the image of the wolf
as a danger to be exterminated is
strong in countries to which it has
recently returned. Its re-emergence
has pitted conservationists against
farmers furious that wolves are
killing their livestock.
country people, but they do not t
hreaten people," says Blanco, who
expects to see numbers continue
to grow in the next decade. "We
must help farmers tolerate them,"
he says. But the image of the wolf
as a danger to be exterminated is
strong in countries to which it has
recently returned. Its re-emergence
has pitted conservationists against
farmers furious that wolves are
killing their livestock.
"It leads to resentment among
older people left in villages where
the young have moved to the cities,"
says Taylor. "In contrast to lynx and
bear, nobody has tried to reintroduce
wolves – they just wander in. They are
seldom welcome. They remind older
people of hard times – a sign that
civilisation is slipping backwards
perhaps."
older people left in villages where
the young have moved to the cities,"
says Taylor. "In contrast to lynx and
bear, nobody has tried to reintroduce
wolves – they just wander in. They are
seldom welcome. They remind older
people of hard times – a sign that
civilisation is slipping backwards
perhaps."
Wolves are a protected species
and most countries offer to
compensate farmers for the
animals they kill. But many are
now being hunted illegally and
poisoned. Farmers and shepherds
invest in fences and fierce dogs
to protect their animals, says Taylor.
"They have lost the habit of
defending their flocks. In areas
where wolves never disappeared,
they have always had some
losses, but they are used to
protection. Farmers are more
desperate because the prices
they get are low."
and most countries offer to
compensate farmers for the
animals they kill. But many are
now being hunted illegally and
poisoned. Farmers and shepherds
invest in fences and fierce dogs
to protect their animals, says Taylor.
"They have lost the habit of
defending their flocks. In areas
where wolves never disappeared,
they have always had some
losses, but they are used to
protection. Farmers are more
desperate because the prices
they get are low."
Suárez adds: "Officially, 130
wolves have been killed [since 2005]
in Spain, but the real numbers are
unknown. They are being poisoned."
wolves have been killed [since 2005]
in Spain, but the real numbers are
unknown. They are being poisoned."
María Vázquez, who works with
farm advice group Asaja in Aviola,
helping farmers with electric fences
and dogs, says: "We're not against
wolves, but we need help. The
number of attacks on livestock
is growing."
farm advice group Asaja in Aviola,
helping farmers with electric fences
and dogs, says: "We're not against
wolves, but we need help. The
number of attacks on livestock
is growing."
As their populations grow, the wolves
' best friends may be tourists
flocking to Guadarrama and other
conservation zones. The animals'
presence just a few miles from city
centres is proving popular with
politicians and a draw to city
residents. Visitor numbers to
Guadarrama and other wild areas
in Europe where wolves have
moved in are growing fast, and
governments are mostly happy
to invest in modest protection
measures in return for being
hailed as friends of the
environment.
' best friends may be tourists
flocking to Guadarrama and other
conservation zones. The animals'
presence just a few miles from city
centres is proving popular with
politicians and a draw to city
residents. Visitor numbers to
Guadarrama and other wild areas
in Europe where wolves have
moved in are growing fast, and
governments are mostly happy
to invest in modest protection
measures in return for being
hailed as friends of the
environment.
"Their return to Guadarrama
is a good thing, but for people
with animals it's trouble. We are
willing to pay subsidies," says
Spain's environment secretary,
Federico Ramos. "We have to
understand that ideas about the
wolf are changing. In the past
they were a serious problem,
but now people are sympathetic.
It's not the devil; it's just an animal.
We must learn to live together."
is a good thing, but for people
with animals it's trouble. We are
willing to pay subsidies," says
Spain's environment secretary,
Federico Ramos. "We have to
understand that ideas about the
wolf are changing. In the past
they were a serious problem,
but now people are sympathetic.
It's not the devil; it's just an animal.
We must learn to live together."
Additional reporting: Paul Evans
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