A decision by a region in Spain which allowed limited hunting of wolves has been overturned by the European Union’s highest court.
This is because, according to the ECJ’s ruling, there is an unfavourable national protection status for the wolf that cannot allow it to be categorized as a species that can be hunted within a region.
What did ECJ say?
The regional government of Castile and Leon had allowed the regional hunting of the Iberian wolf. Monday’s ruling means the court finds that decision violates the European Union’s Habitats Directive.
ASCEL (Association for conservation and study of Iberian Wolf) was also against this plan thus initiated legal action against it.
“The Court answers that the regional Law is contrary to the Habitats Directive,” said a press release from the court..
“In fact, when its conservation status at national level is unfavorable, it cannot be regarded as a huntable species in one or part of territories within Member States.”
In 2019, there were 339 wolves planned to be killed under this region’s hunting program but in reality, no plan took into account what official statistics showed – they are habitat-sensitive animals.
It argued that if such species’ protection is so bad, even bans on their hunting might not prove too much.
As a result, this matter will go back to Spanish courts where they must then enforce this ECJ pronouncement against hunting.
