Wolves in Spain killed over 3,700 sheep and cows in the Castilla y León region of the country in 2019, according to figures from local authorities.

Spain has the largest wolf population in Europe, with 90% of them concentrated in the northwest of the country.

The Spanish government has plans to extend a ban on wolf hunting in the country to the Castilla y León region and the BBC has reported that there is division among Spanish farmers in the area.

Natural food chain

Some believe that the wolves are part of the natural food chain and should be allowed to flourish, while others feel that the wolves are responsible for large-scale attacks on their livestock.

Wolves in Spain were close to extinction in the middle of the century, but strict laws to stop hunting and poisoning were put in place and the population recovered, with up to 2,500 now in the country.