Wolves as climate helpers: A return for forests and CO2 protection!

Wolves as climate helpers: A return for forests and CO2 protection!

The return of wolves in Europe could benefit both nature and the climate. Recent studies give reason for hope: a team led by Cecilia Di Bernardi at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has compiled estimates showing that a total of around 21,500 wolves lived in 34 European countries in 2022, of which 19,000 were in the EU. With fewer than 100 individuals, Austria is one of the countries with the lowest numbers of wolves in Europe. In countries such as Germany and Italy, however, the population is much higher, although the return of wolves in many regions is also raising concerns among farmers who are afraid of possible damage to livestock. According to the data, around 17 million euros are raised annually to compensate for these losses, while at the same time positive effects such as the reduction of wildlife accidents through natural regulation of game populations can be observed kleinezeitung.at reported.

Wolves as climate aid

But the potential of wolves does not end with regulating wild populations. A study by the University of Leeds shows that the return of wolves to the Scottish Highlands could even contribute to achieving climate goals in the long term. The researchers simulated a wolf population of 167 animals and came to the remarkable conclusion that an additional million tons of CO2 could be bound annually. This could represent up to five percent of the UK's 2050 CO2 reduction target. Each individual wolf could theoretically contribute to the storage of around 6,080 tonnes of CO2 annually, which is estimated to be worth around 180,000 euros focus.de.

Although the study shockingly shows how important wolves can be to climate change, there are still challenges to reintroduction. Farmers and hunters are skeptical and are calling for a discussion about the risks that a return of the predators could bring. Scientists emphasize that the issues of species protection and climate protection are closely linked and that dialogue between stakeholders is essential so that the reintroduction of wolves can be made both ecologically and economically sensible.