World Wildlife Fund warns of dire consequences after Bern Convention weakens wolf protection

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has sharply criticized a decision by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention to lower the protection status of wolves, calling it a "dangerous" setback for conservation efforts in Europe.

The Council of Europe’s Bern Convention Committee has adopted an EU proposal to modify the status of wolf protection from “strictly protected fauna species” to “protected fauna species.”

The vote, supported by EU member states, dismissed appeals from over 300 civil society organizations, wildlife experts, and thousands of citizens urging science-based action to ensure coexistence with large carnivores, the conservation organization said in a statement on Tuesday.

It argued that the move jeopardizes fragile wolf populations, which have barely begun to recover after facing near extinction in much of Europe.

"Downgrading a species' strict protection status for the political gain of a few, against scientific evidence, puts decades of conservation efforts at risk," Sabien Leemans from WWF’s European Policy Office said. "Now, the European Commission is likely to propose the same change to the EU's flagship Habitats Directive, with potential negative consequences far beyond the wolf."

Marta Klimkiewicz of ClientEarth described the decision as a green light to shoot wolves.

"It is not only a death sentence for many wolves, but a threat to other protected species across Europe. Removing the crucial safeguard of the Bern Convention paves the way for undermining the very foundations of the EU's nature conservation framework and further erosion of species protection," Klimkiewicz said.

The WWF urged the Bern Convention to prioritize science-based governance to maintain its credibility and ensure decisions reflect robust evidence rather than political agendas. It warned that failing to do so could deepen social divides, escalate tensions between humans and wildlife, and erode trust in conservation policies across Europe.