Once present throughout continental Europe, after centuries of persecution the wolf had disappeared from most of its former range, particularly in western Europe, by the middle of the 20th century.
In the last quarter of the century, environmental attitudes began to change, and the wolf was belatedly granted legal protection. This protection, combined with legislation and conventions aimed at conserving Europe's natural habitats, flora and fauna, has enabled the wolf to expand from its isolated mountain stronghold to recolonise (unlike in North America, there has been no reintroduction of wolves in Europe) areas where it has not been seen for over seventy years.
This article looks at the current status of wolves in the western continental European countries, where wolf populations suffered most at the hands of human expansion and development.
