The duality of protection: unravelling non-natural deaths of wolves in Spain

• In Event: Legal and illegal wildlife crimes

Abstract

Traditionally viewed as pests and a threat to farming necessitating eradication, wolves have long faced persecution in Spain. In the past, such persecution was not only sanctioned but actively encouraged by public authorities, leading to wolves being on the brink of extinction by the 1970s. However, in recent decades, policies aimed at their conservation and facilitating coexistence between humans and wolves have gained prominence, although this coexistence remains far from peaceful. In September 2021, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) included all the populations of Canis lupus in Spain in the List of Wildlife Species under Special Protection Regime (LESRPE) —previously, only populations south of the Douro River were included—, a decision that has sparked considerable controversy. Nonetheless, a regime of exceptions exists that allows for the legal killing of wolves under the guise of ‘population management’, provided certain conditions are met. Illegal killings, mainly through shooting, trapping, or poisoning, also pose a significant threat to wolves. This paper explores the available data on the non-natural deaths of wolves in Spain and critically examines the dimensions and implications of such practices, aiming to contribute to the development of more effective conservation strategies and to enhance the understanding of human-wildlife conflicts within the framework of Green Criminology.

Author

• Patricia Puente-Guerrero, UNED