Wolf packs have tripled in the space of 5 years in France. This is causing a sharp increase in attacks on sheep, cows, horses, dogs, but also deer, mouflons, chamois and roe deer. Should wolves be regulated? And if so, under what conditions? In this new issue of "Face à Baudouin", your regular interview meeting on the issues of hunting and rurality, our editor-in-chief today welcomes Romain Lasseur, independent expert, doctor in toxicology and animal ecology and specialist in invasive species, to talk about the impact of the wolf (canis lupus lupus) on the ecosystems existing in the biotope of the different territories of our country. Baudouin was able to question Romain Lasseur on his vision of the current situation of wolf populations in France both historically and numerically. For the scientist, there is little doubt: considered eradicated from our country since 1937, the wolf has indeed reappeared in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region since 1992, from a strain originating from Italy. If Dr. Lasseur does not radically question the official figures of the OFB (around 1,100 wolves in France currently), he thinks that this population could be significantly higher given the particularly high number of individuals among some of the 128 packs that colonize our country. The cause? A particularly large stock of prey, whether wild animals (thanks to the good management of ungulate populations by hunters in recent decades), and the importance of livestock herds, particularly through pastoralism. This, added to the status of canis lupus lupus as a strictly protected species, has therefore led to a significant increase in the populations of this predator. Baudouin then wanted to address the consequences and risks that this expansion of the wolf poses in our territory. Romains Lasseur sees one in particular: The more than negative impact on agricultural activities and, first and foremost, pastoralism, a tradition that has shaped the French mountain landscapes and biotope. The wolf being, like any predator, an animal stingy with its energy, it will always prefer to attack easy prey such as sheep rather than wild boars. Baudouin then wanted to know what the solutions were to consider a possible cohabitation of man with the wolf. Doctor Lasseur did not hesitate, it is necessary to allow a regulation of the animal by man and decisions must be taken at the local level rather than in the Parisian arcana of the administration. It is necessary to increase the pressure on the predator where it is the most aggressive towards domestic animals and large fauna. To do this, the scientist affirmed his approval of the training of hunters to participate in this regulation. #wolf #hunting #hunters