Lorraine Williamson
Public anger surges after the hunting of the Iberian wolf is reauthorised through backdoor legal changes, sparking widespread calls for reinstated protections.
In a dramatic backlash against Spain’s rollback of wildlife protections, thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Madrid on Sunday. They demanded that the Iberian wolf once again be granted full legal protection. Protesters carried banners and chanted under the slogan “Lobo vivo y protegido” (“The wolf lives and must be protected”), calling for an end to hunting and for the species to remain safeguarded under national law.
Hidden clause sparks outrage
Controversy erupted earlier this year when Spain’s Congress approved a legal amendment that reopened wolf hunting in areas north of the Duero River — including Cantabria, Asturias, and Castilla y León. The change was inserted not into wildlife legislation but as a last-minute clause in a law concerning food waste. Therefore, bypassing the environmental debate entirely.
The move, initiated by the conservative Partido Popular (PP) with support from far-right Vox and the Basque nationalist party PNV, was fiercely opposed by the Sánchez-led government. But with insufficient support in parliament, the government was powerless to halt the amendment.
Environmental groups have condemned what they see as an abuse of the legislative process. “It’s a parliamentary ambush,” said a representative from Alianza Verde. “Wolves are being shot just after giving birth — this is an ecological scandal.”
Thousands join demonstration backed by 170 organisations
While police placed turnout at around 1,500, organisers claim over 10,000 marched in defence of Spain’s emblematic predator. More than 170 organisations — including WWF, PACMA, Ecologistas en Acción, and AnimaNaturalis — joined forces in a rare show of unity.
PACMA’s Javier Luna labelled the congressional vote “a betrayal” and “an ecological disaster.” He argued that the wolf is vital for preserving biodiversity. “Their role in controlling deer and wild boar populations is irreplaceable,” he said.
Scientists aligned with the WWF echoed the call for protective strategies that do not involve killing. Measures such as livestock compensation, use of guard dogs, and fortified night enclosures have already proven effective across Europe.
A divided scientific community
Not all experts agree that the wolf remains at risk. Biologist Juan Delibes de Castro — speaking recently in Asturias — pointed to data showing a 26% increase in wolf numbers since the last official census over a decade ago. Populations are thriving in the north and reappearing in areas once thought permanently lost.
Delibes warned against what he described as “emotional, binary” debates. “We need rational management that protects biodiversity while addressing real concerns of rural communities,” he said.
Legal changes mirror European trend
Spain’s legislative shift follows a controversial December 2024 decision by the Council of Europe to reduce the wolf’s protection status at the EU level — from “strictly protected” to “protected”. That downgrading was met with fierce opposition from conservationists and academics, who warned it would undermine decades of recovery work.
Since then, Spain has enacted two further amendments weakening safeguards. One enables automatic deregulation in southern Spain if the EU formally reduces protections. The second allows regions to justify wolf hunting for economic reasons, including agricultural efficiency. This effectively gives regional governments wide latitude to approve hunting under pressure from local farming lobbies.
What protesters demand
Amid fears that Spain is sleepwalking into environmental regression, campaigners are calling for:
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The immediate reinstatement of the Iberian wolf to Spain’s national list of protected species (LESPRE)
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Full compliance with the European Habitats Directive
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A halt to regional exemptions allowing wolf culling on economic grounds
WWF Spain has vowed to take further legal action and is urging the national government to introduce structural, non-lethal solutions to mitigate conflict between wolves and livestock farmers.
Decades of effort
The fate of the Iberian wolf now hangs in the balance — caught between a resurgent population and a political climate increasingly responsive to rural economic pressure. While some see recovery as a justification for relaxed protection, others argue it is precisely the success of past protections that must be preserved.
If Spain backslides, conservationists fear it could unravel decades of effort and signal to other European countries that environmental rollbacks come without consequence. The next few months will likely prove critical — not only for Spain’s most iconic predator, but for the country’s broader commitment to biodiversity and environmental law.
Sources: El Pais, Huffington Post