Cecilia Di Bernardi Cecilia Di Bernardi Guillaume Chapron Guillaume Chapron Petra Kaczensky Petra Kaczensky Francisco Álvares Francisco Álvares Henrik Andrén Henrik Andrén Vaidas Balys Vaidas Balys Juan Carlos Blanco Juan Carlos Blanco Silviu Chiriac Silviu Chiriac Duško Cirovic Duško Cirovic Nolwenn Drouet-Hoguet Nolwenn Drouet-Hoguet Djuro Huber Djuro Huber Yorgos Iliopoulos Yorgos Iliopoulos Ilpo Kojola Ilpo Kojola Miha Krofel Miha Krofel Miroslav Kutal Miroslav Kutal John D. C. Linnell John D. C. Linnell Aleksandra Aleksandra Aleksandra Majic Skrbinšek Aleksandra Majic Skrbinšek Peep Männil Peep Männil Francesca Marucco Francesca Marucco Dime Melovski Dime Melovski Deniz Mengüllüoclu Deniz Mengüllüoclu Joachim Mergeay Joachim Mergeay Robert W. Myscajek Robert W. Myscajek Sabina Nowak Sabina Nowak Janis Ozolinš Janis Ozolinš Nathan Ranc Nathan Ranc Ilka Reinhardt Ilka Reinhardt Robin Rigg Robin Rigg Valeria Salvatori Valeria Salvatori Laurent Schley Laurent Schley Peter Sunde Peter Sunde Aleksandër Trajçe Aleksandër Trajçe Igor Trbojevic Igor Trbojevic Arie Trouwborst Arie Trouwborst Manuela von Arx Manuela von Arx Diana Zlatanova Diana Zlatanova Luigi Boitani Luigi Boitani Public Library of Science 2025 The recovery of wolves (Canis lupus) across Europe is a notable conservation success in a region with extensive human alteration of landscapes and high human population densities. We provide a comprehensive update on wolf populations in Europe, estimated at over 21,500 individuals by 2022, representing a 58% increase over the past decade. Despite the challenges of high human densities and significant land use for agriculture, industry, and urbanization, wolves have demonstrated remarkable adaptability and increasing population trends in most European countries. Improved monitoring techniques, although varying in quality and scope, have played a crucial role in tracking this recovery. Annually, wolves kill approximately 56,000 domestic animals in the EU, a risk unevenly distributed and differently handled across regions. Damage compensation costs 17 million EUR every year to European countries. Positive economic impacts from wolf presence, such as those related to reducing traffic accidents with wild ungulates or supporting wildlife tourism, remain under studied. Wolf recovery in Europe is supported by diverse policy and legal instruments such as LIFE programs, stakeholder platforms, as well as the EU Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention. Coexisting with newly established wolf populations in Europe entails managing impacts on human activities, including livestock depredation, competition for game, and fear of attacks on humans, amidst varying social and political views on wolf recovery. Sustainable coexistence continues to operate in evolving and complex social, economic, and political landscapes, often characterized by intense debates regarding wolf policies. PDFDocument eng 2025-05-23T08:22:50.955733Z 2025 Large Carnivores Wolf Law Conservation Management Predators Return Lynx Bear 1633034 b application/pdf http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/