Wolves, long absent from most of France and especially the urban areas, have been making a comeback, and have now apparently reached the southern suburbs of Paris.
Like many other forms of wildlife, wolves are coming back to areas they once inhabited, especially as their remaining habitats come under development.
Two French groups that track wolves, the Alliance avec les loups, and the Observatoire du loup, have reported that three wolves—a pair, and yes, a lone wolf—have taken up permanent residence and are roaming the departments of Yevelines, Essonne and Seine-et-Marne.
There, and in the Rambouillet Forest, geographers and biologists have found paw prints, droppings and meal remains. In Rambouillet, in December, two deer carcasses were reported with unmistakable signs of wolf kills.
But the groups report there’s no real danger to people: Manoël Atman, president of Alliance avec les loups, told TheLocal.fr that “There’s no risk for people, these wolves come from Italy, they’re much smaller than their cousins in central Europe. They’re only around 25 kilos.” And, he said “These kinds of animals aren’t interested in eating people. We walk on two legs, they only eat four-legged animals.”
For more on wolves in France, and maps of their spread, click HERE
