Reappeared in 1992 at the Italian border, would the wolf be reclaiming the whole of French territory?
For the first time, the canine has been photographed in Île-de-France, reports Loïc Obled, Deputy Director General of the French Biodiversity Office (OFB), confirming information from the
Parisian
.
After being spotted in Normandy in recent days, he was photographed on November 11 in Blaru, “
on the border between Eure and Yvelines
”.
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"
This wolf is probably the same animal as that observed in the Eure, whose area of action is wide
," comments the Yvelines prefecture, adding that
no wolf attack has been detected to date in the department. "
A few days earlier, the national lynx wolf network had validated the shooting in the Vernon sector, on the Normandy side, but the author of the snapshot assures us that the photo was taken in Blaru, in the Yvelines. An affirmation validated by the OFP of Eure, came to see the traces left by the animal.
However, is this the first passage of a wolf in freedom in the region since its eradication in France in 1939? Its presence is “
not surprising
”, replies Loïc Obled, explaining that he already regularly crosses the large forests of the area, without settling there. “
Traveling up to 80 km per day, he could appear in several departments. At this stage, we cannot know if it is one or more wolves,
”he adds. “
The wolf is today a strictly protected species. The evolution of the population leads isolated individuals, said to be "dispersed", to leave their pack to explore new territories "
, commented on the side of the prefecture of Eure.
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The wolf is not a threat to humans, reminds the Office of Biodiversity.
“
Since his return to French territory, there has been no case of an attack on human beings,
” underlines Loïc Obled.
On the other hand, attacks by flocks of sheep are commonplace, especially in the Alps.
The population is estimated at 624 wolves in France at the end of winter 2020-2021, according to the OFB.
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The wolf is not an endangered species
"