Worldwide Gray Wolf Population and Protection Status
- Dillan Porter
- Sep 5
- 4 min read
To fully understand the complexity of Gray Wolf protection we need to look at the worldwide population and management techniques used in different countries.
The global gray wolf population is estimated to be 300,000 and growing. Once abundant over much of North America and Eurasia, the gray wolf inhibits a smaller portion of its former range because of widespread destruction of its habitat, human encroachment of its habitat, and the resulting human-wolf encounters that sparked broad extirpation.
Considered as a whole, however, the gray wolf is regarded as being of "least concern" for extinction according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
Today, wolves are protected in some areas, hunted in other areas, or may be subject to extermination as threats to people, livestock, and pets.
Europe
Europe, excluding Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, has 12,000 wolves in over 28 countries.
Spain's wolf population is estimated at 2,000-3000 and growing. Wolves are considered a game species.
Italy's wolves are a protected species with current estimates indicating that there are over 2,000 wolves living in the wild and increasing at a rate of 6% a year. Italy's leading wolf biologist, professor Luigi Boitani of the University of Rome, expressed concern that the Italian wolf recovery may have been too successful, due to a large portion of the public refusing to concede to the possibility of rising wolf populations requiring management.
France's population as of 2018 is said to be more than 500 and growing rapidly.
Germany's wolves were first spotted in 1998 and by 2019 had grown to about 1,300.
Finland has a stable population and are legally hunted in areas with high reindeer densities.
Poland has a population of approximately 2,500 wolves and increasing.
Lithuania has a population of 300-400 which are increasing in numbers. The species is not protected.
Belarus is home to a wolf population of 1,500-2,000 where they are largely unprotected, designated game species and have bounties.
Ukraine has an unprotected, yet stable population of 2,000 wolves. Romania has an increasing population of 2,500 wolves.
Bulgaria has a stable population of 1,000-1,200 wolves which are granted no legal protection and are considered a nuisance and have an active bounty on them.
Greece has a population of 1,200 wolves, which are legally protected. Compensation is paid for livestock losses, with over 80% of it from insurance.
North Macedonia has an increasing, yet unprotected population of 1,000 wolves.
Russian wolves have no legal protection and number 25,000-30,000 and increasing.
Asia
Turkey has a population of about 7,000 and is a game species managed through hunting.
Iran has a stable population of 1,500 wolves.
Saudi Arabia has a stable population of 250-700 wolves which are given no legal protection.
India has a population of roughly 1,000 wolves.
China in 2003 estimated 12,500 wolves were living in China.
Mongolia has a stable population of 10,000-20,000 wolves which are given no legal protection.
Kazakhstan has a stable population of about 30,000. About 2,000 are killed yearly for a $40 bounty, though the numbers have risen sharply.
Turkmenistan has a stable population of 1,000 wolves, which are unprotected.
Uzbekistan has a stable population of 2,000 wolves, which are unprotected.
Tajikistan has a population of 1,700 wolves in 2006, which are stable and unprotected.
North America
Canada has over 60,000 wolves, which are legally considered a big game species, though they are afforded protection in 3% of Canada's territory.
The United States as a whole, has up to 18,000 wolves and they are increasing in numbers in all their ranges.
Minnesota has a population of 4,100 wolves, which are legally protected, though they are culled for depredation control. Minnesota used to have control over its wolf population but this was revoked by a federal appellate court on August 1, 2017, making wolf management the charge of the federal government. The court decided to retain the state's minimum population of 1,600 animals. It has been argued by state officials that management should remain in the hands of the state, allowing for the wolf to be removed from protected status, since the population has exceeded recovery goals for more than 25 years.
Both Wisconsin and Michigan have healthy populations of 750 each with numbers rising.
Wyoming, Idaho and Montana have an approximate population of 1,657 wolves and growing.
Contrary to the public perception that total protection of the Gray Wolf is required, the current status indicates that the Gray Wolves have recovered and are not close to being an endangered species. The vast majority of the global countries that are home to the Gray Wolf have populations that are stable or growing despite being mostly unprotected or managed as a big game status.
Maybe it's time to stop crying wolf and start protecting its prey through proper management of the Gray Wolf.
Dale Irish
Vice President Hunters 4 Hunters
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