Wolf killed near French Alps after complaints from farmers

French wildlife officials have shot dead a female wolf in the foothills of the Alps, in the first such killing since the government authorised an increase in the culling of the protected species.

A protected species in France, despite farmers' complaints Wikimedia Commons

The wolf was killed on Tuesday, following a reported increase in attacks on livestock in the Alpes-Maritimes region of southeastern France.

Local farmers blame wolves for the deaths of 690 sheep or goats since the start of this year and they claim there have been around three attacks by wolves per day.

France's environment and agriculture ministers last month approved a decree authorising the killing of up to 24 wolves per year to restrict the growth of a population estimated at around 250.

The aim is to ensure the wolf population does not fall while preventing it from growing to a size which would create more problems for farmers.

The maximum cull until this year’s decree was 11 animals per year but in practice, only seven wolves were killed between 2008 and 2012.

Wolves were hunted to the point of extinction in France but they have made a comeback since the late 1990s, when a number of them moved over from neighbouring Italy.