On Thursday 8 May in Strasbourg, MEPs adopted by 371 votes to 162, with 37 abstentions, the decision to bring the ‘Habitats’ Directive into line with the amendment to the Bern Convention of 7 March (see EUROPE B13595A19), thereby changing the protection status of the wolf from “strictly protected” to “protected species”.
Member States will have greater flexibility in managing their wolf populations. The stated aim is to improve the coexistence of wolves with humans and...