Once hunted to extinction in France, wolves began crossing over from Italy after gaining protected status under the 1979 Bern Convention. But they have been killing more livestock, too, with 12,000 farm animals lost last year, according to preliminary figures. Under current rules, farmers can only shoot wolves if they attack animals inside a protected enclosure -- a restriction centrist President Emmanuel Macron's government said would now be relaxed.
The furry creatures, best described as a cross between a horse and a sheep, have become an increasingly regular feature of the UK landscape despite their South American origins. There are an estimated 45,000 alpacas and another 4,000 llamas in the UK, according to the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra). Now, the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act gives the animals the same protections as goats, sheep, cattle and poultry, with an unlimited fine for irresponsible dog walkers.
