The Wolf

Ever since its return to the Alps (Mercantour National Park in 1992), the wolf has been increasingly present in mainland France. Having disappeared from France around 1930, it made a successful comeback 30 years ago and is gradually continuing to spread. The wolf is an opportunistic species that can establish itself in a variety of environments, from plains to mountains, as long as there is an abundance of its primary prey. Wolves mainly prey on wild ungulates such as deer, roe deer and chamois. But can the wolf attack humans? All scientists agree that the risk of a wolf attack is very low in France. Proven wolf attacks on humans in past centuries were mainly carried out by rabid specimens. However, our lifestyles have changed a great deal since then, making wolf encounters very rare. Wolves do not consider humans as potential prey. They are generally wary of humans, whom they prefer to avoid by keeping as far away from them as wolfly possible.