Which country in Europe has the most wolves?
Romania has one of the largest wolf populations of EU nations, with a rough estimate of 2,500 wolves.
Spreading outward from strongholds in Poland and the Carpathians, Eurasian wolf packs and individuals have now been spotted as far west as the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Today, a large number of wolves live in Russia, China, Israel, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern India, and Mongolia.
Canada Wolves
Canada hosts the world's largest wolf population, with more than 50,000 wolves inhabiting its vast landscape. Wolves are heavily hunted and trapped throughout the country, however, and are often killed when they stray from the protection of national and provincial parks.
United Kingdom at a glance
No gray wolves currently live in the United Kingdom. Private organizations have discussed the potential reintroduction of wolves into Scotland, but official discussions have not yet occurred.
The official estimates count 2,500 wolves in Spain, based on reproductive individuals. However, the estimates are questionable from a scientific viewpoint, as not every individuals reproduces. Scientists predict that the official estimates are 30 to 50% higher than the actual situation.
The Wolf is now extinct in Ireland due to persecution by humans. The European Wolf is still found in the wild in mainland Europe . The Wolf is persecuted all over its range.
There are no wild wolves in Scotland; they have been hunted to extinction since 1680, when the last Scottish wolf was killed near Killiecrankie in Perthshire. However, it is possible to see wolves in captivity at the many wildlife parks and zoos around Scotland.
Italy at a glance
Main prey for wolves here are deer, wild boar, chamois, livestock and garbage. This article puts the current population between 1,500 and 2,000 wolves living in Italy.
In the late 1990s, wolves began to dart into Germany from the forests of Poland. The first litter of pups in Germany was reported in 2001 in Saxony-Brandenburg. They've since spread westward into six more of Germany's 16 federal states, and monitoring data show their numbers are rising.
Are there wolves in France?
France's population as of 2021 is 580 individuals, with most packs residing in the forested areas of the Jura and the Alps region. Wolves crossed over into Southern France from Italy through the Alps in the 1990s. Under the Berne Convention, wolves are listed as an endangered species and killing them is illegal.
Poland at a glance
Most wolves live in the eastern and southern portions of Poland.. However, 30 percent of Poland's wolf population is considered transborder, ranging in both Poland and adjacent countries.
Today, wolf distribution extends from Thrace in north-eastern Greece, to Voiotia in southern Central Greece. Although small gaps between wolf territories exist, there is no evidence of complete fragmentation between neighbouring wolf areas.
Studies estimate that the Iberian wolf population within Portugal currently totals between 250-300 animals, occurring only in the north and centre of the country – corresponding to less than a third of the animal's original range.
Can we have them in Britain? While there is sufficient habitat and wild prey for the establishment of wolves in parts of Scotland, Wales and England, at present there are no plans to reintroduce them. Any reintroduction would have to be carefully considered and have public support.
The brown bear was a common top predator alongside the wolf and lynx following the last ice age, after lions and hyenas had disappeared. It is calculated there were over 13,000 bears in Britain 7,000 years ago.
Bears in Britain: A brief history
The brown bear (Ursus arctos) was once widespread across Britain, found in the wild from Devon in southern England to Sutherland in northern Scotland. However, by the end of the last Ice Age, populations had dwindled and it had become rare.
They became extinct in England somewhere in the 18th century. Many people hunted wolves and persecuted them across Europe, making them extinct in more than just Britain. However, you can still find wolves in places such as Italy, Bulgaria, and Poland.
The Scottish Wildcat is Britain's only wild feline and only remaining large predator.
Star is the only European wolf in the UK that you can get a hands on experience with. It is one of those bucket list experiences that you will never forget! We are experiencing a high volume of booking enquiries please allow at least 14 days before trying to book a date with us.
Where do wolves live in Portugal?
No more so than south of the Douro River in Portugal, where the Iberian wolf today enjoys a precarious existence. Studies estimate that the Portuguese population of Iberian wolf (a subspecies of grey wolf) currently totals between 250-300 animals, divided in two by the Douro.
It inhabits the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, which includes northwestern Spain and northern Portugal. It is home to 2,200-2,700 wolves which have been isolated from mixing with other wolf populations for over a century.
With its lustrous, spotted coat, kohl-rimmed eyes and tufted ears, the Iberian lynx would not look out of place in Africa or Asia. But this is Europe's big cat.
By the late medieval period they were very rare and It is generally accepted that wolves were extinct in England by the 15th century.
At first it looks bleak, but efforts are being made to save and re-introduce rare and once-extinct creatures. Wolves, brown bears, wild boar and lynx once inhabited Wales but have been lost over the centuries.
The wolf is critically endangered
The Norwegian Red List for species lists the wolf as critically endangered (CR). In the last count (winter 2021-2022), 125-129 wolves were registered. Of these, 51-52 lived solely in Norway, while the remaining 74-77 wander on both sides of the border between Norway and Sweden.
Not far from the village of Killiecrankie in the Scottish Highlands, there is a densely wooded gorge through which the River Garry rushes. According to folklore, it is here (or somewhere very like it) that Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel shot the last wild-living wolf in Great Britain in 1680.
We have no plans to reintroduce lynx, wolves, bears or any other large carnivore species into Scotland.
The wolf. There are some 400 wolves in Sweden. The wolf is protected and may not be killed unless there are risks for repeated attacks on life or property. The wolf feeds mainly on the moose.
More than half of the entire French wolf population are thought to be concentrated in the Southern French Alps. Wolves live in packs of 6 - 20 members which will spend 8 - 10 hours moving through thier home range which can be up to 6 000km2.
What is German for wolf?
| English | German |
|---|---|
| the wolf | der Wolf |
Historically, many local grey wolf (Canis lupus) populations have undergone substantial reductions in size or become extinct. Among these, the wolf population once living in Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, was completely eradicated by human activity in the early decades of the 20th century.
The wolf population in Croatia is distributed along the borders with Slovenia and with Bosnia-Herzegovina to Montenegro. The current estimated number of wolves ranges from 130 to 170. The protection of the wolf population begun in 1995 and its number has now been stabilised.
Wolves have officially been extinct in Japan since 1905, but there are grassroots efforts under way to reintroduce them. The Japan Wolf Association is an active organization. Their website can be found here.
Finland at a glance
Wolves live primarily in central and western Finland, south of reindeer husbandry areas. Highest densities are found in Kainuu and northern Karelia.
There are thought to be approximately 30-35 wolves in Switzerland, with a well-established pack in the Calanda region that has been producing pups each year. Wolves have been sighted in 17 of Switzerland's 26 cantons.
Bulgaria's native wildlife includes bears, wolves, wild boars, red foxes, and hedgehogs. Some animals unique to Bulgaria are the marbled polecat, gray dwarf hamster, red deer, and steppe polecat. Bulgaria's native birds include storks and pelicans. Fish species include the Balkan trout and common minnow.
Sharing habitat with brown bears, lynx and wild boars, wolves number at least 2,500 in Romania and perhaps as many as 4,000. Romanian gray wolves are impressive beasts.
Thanks to increased conservation efforts, wolf numbers are recovering—there are now around 12,000 individuals across the European continent—which is important to help restore natural processes that keep prey species like deer and wild boars at healthy numbers.
The official estimates count 2,500 wolves in Spain, based on reproductive individuals. However, the estimates are questionable from a scientific viewpoint, as not every individuals reproduces. Scientists predict that the official estimates are 30 to 50% higher than the actual situation.
How many wolves are in Poland?
| Population | 2011 Transboundary Population size | 2016 Population Size within Poland |
|---|---|---|
| Baltic | ~900-1400 (5000 with BY & RU) | 400-450 |
| Carpathian | ~3500 | 300-400 |
| Central European Lowland | ~300 | 180-200 |
| Roztocze | ? | 100 |
In the late 1990s, wolves began to dart into Germany from the forests of Poland. The first litter of pups in Germany was reported in 2001 in Saxony-Brandenburg. They've since spread westward into six more of Germany's 16 federal states, and monitoring data show their numbers are rising.
The Wolf is now extinct in Ireland due to persecution by humans. The European Wolf is still found in the wild in mainland Europe . The Wolf is persecuted all over its range.
There are no wild wolves in Scotland; they have been hunted to extinction since 1680, when the last Scottish wolf was killed near Killiecrankie in Perthshire. However, it is possible to see wolves in captivity at the many wildlife parks and zoos around Scotland.
Italy at a glance
Main prey for wolves here are deer, wild boar, chamois, livestock and garbage. This article puts the current population between 1,500 and 2,000 wolves living in Italy.
Studies estimate that the Iberian wolf population within Portugal currently totals between 250-300 animals, occurring only in the north and centre of the country – corresponding to less than a third of the animal's original range.
It inhabits the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, which includes northwestern Spain and northern Portugal. It is home to 2,200-2,700 wolves which have been isolated from mixing with other wolf populations for over a century.
No more so than south of the Douro River in Portugal, where the Iberian wolf today enjoys a precarious existence. Studies estimate that the Portuguese population of Iberian wolf (a subspecies of grey wolf) currently totals between 250-300 animals, divided in two by the Douro.
Turkey has a population of about 7,000. The wolf can be found in central, northern, and eastern Anatolia away from coastal areas and at altitudes above 900 metres. It has recently begun to re-establish itself in western Anatolia.
Today, wolf distribution extends from Thrace in north-eastern Greece, to Voiotia in southern Central Greece. Although small gaps between wolf territories exist, there is no evidence of complete fragmentation between neighbouring wolf areas.
Are there wolves in Croatia?
The wolf population in Croatia is distributed along the borders with Slovenia and with Bosnia-Herzegovina to Montenegro. The current estimated number of wolves ranges from 130 to 170. The protection of the wolf population begun in 1995 and its number has now been stabilised.
The first wolves came to France in the early 1990s. Specialists from the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) have now identified about 580 wolves, present over a third of the country, especially in the south-east, and particularly in regions where outdoor livestock farming is highly developed.
Wolves have officially been extinct in Japan since 1905, but there are grassroots efforts under way to reintroduce them. The Japan Wolf Association is an active organization. Their website can be found here.
Finland at a glance
Wolves live primarily in central and western Finland, south of reindeer husbandry areas. Highest densities are found in Kainuu and northern Karelia.
