A study was conducted by the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA).
ISPRA’s report concluded that around 950 wolves live in the regions around the Alps, while 2400 others are spread out along the rest of the Italian peninsula.
“The wolf population has grown everywhere,” the report read.
“The species occupies almost all of the suitable environments available in Italy.
“The most significance increase in numbers was found around the Alps.”
Some 3000 people, including forest guards, police officers, university staff and students, and volunteers from local and national associations worked on the study.
Wolves have been documented in the wild through a variety of methods, including remote cameras, carcasses of wolf prey, tracks, the remains of 171 dead wolves and 16,000 pieces of wolf excrement.
Volunteers and experts alike reached a combined total of 85,000 kilometres of walking while conducting this project.
The president of the Federparchi, the Federation of Parks and Nature Reserves, Giampiero Sammuri, said that the study highlighted the success of conservation efforts over recent decades.
