In Tarn, the wolf traces its path and conquers new territories, defying departmental borders and the concerns of breeders. The prefectural services have just published the new map of places where this predator risks attacking herds.
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The wolf continues its expansion across France, from the Alps, in the Grand Est and up to New Aquitaine.
The canine is expanding its territory, particularly in Occitania, due to the presence of abundant game, as AFP recalls. After Aveyron, its installation is now established in the Tarn department.
A prefectural decree published on December 23, 2024 defines the municipalities eligible for measures to protect herds against wolf predation for the year 2025. This classification, in place since 2022, allows breeders to access European aid (FEADER ) to protect their herds.
The municipalities are divided into three circles according to the level of predation risk:
Circle 1 – High Risk : 5 communes
- Albine, Marzens, Saint-Amans-Soult, Sauveterre, Mazamet
Circle 2 – Possible presence : 82 communes
- The number of municipalities in this circle has tripled since 2023
- Aiguefonde, Anglès, Labruguière, Lavaur are now included
Circle 3 – Potential expansion zone :
- All other municipalities in the department
Wolf presence map in the Tarn department.
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© Tarn Prefecture
Notable developments are as follows:
- Marzens joins circle 1, replacing Lacabarède who moves to circle 2
- Circle 2 has expanded considerably, from 68 municipalities in 2024 to 82 in 2025
- Castres leaves circle 2 to join circle 3
Since 2016, five male wolves of Italian-Alpine lineage have been genetically identified in Tarn.. The last one was spotted in May 2024 in Marzens, just 50 km from Toulouse.
Read: A wolf at the gates of one of the largest cities in France “dispersers can travel many kilometers before settling in”
Breeders in the areas concerned can benefit from aid for: lreinforced guarding andpurchase of protective equipment.
Read: “We risk weakening the entire ecosystem”: Europe makes it easier to cull wolves
At the beginning of December 2024, around fifty countries in the European Union agreed to lower the level of protection of wolves in Europe. This decision, supported by breeders and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, aims to facilitate the culling of wolves to protect herds. Wildlife defenders denounce a “political and scientifically unfounded” measure, arguing that the shootings are counterproductive and do not resolve the difficulties in the world of breeding. The change will come into force at the beginning of 2025.
