Wolves Will No Longer Be Strictly Protected in Europe [Video]

Wolves in Europe will go from being “strictly protected” to “protected” next year after the Council of Europe backed a proposal by the European Union to downgrade their status.

Conservationists are concerned about the survival of the species, which bounced back after being on the edge of local extinction, reported The Guardian.

“This decision is a green light to shoot wolves, given by the international community in white gloves,” said Marta Klimkiewicz, science and policy advisor at ClientEarth, as The Guardian reported.

Last December, the status change was proposed by the European Commission at the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats in preparation for amending the EU’s nature protection law, reported Euronews.

The downgraded status, which was welcomed by hunters, reduces the standards for shooting a wolf. The EU has said wolves kill 65,000 animals annually that were intended to be slaughtered for human consumption, The Guardian reported.

During the …