When rewilding works — a visit to the Alps to track wolves

Ecologist Pádraic Fogarty enjoys a close-to-nature experience where wolves are thriving thanks to legal protections and natural rewilding

High Alps. While wolves are now present in many regions of France, the Alps is where there is the greatest density and where visitors are most likely to see evidence of their presence. Picture: Pádraic Fogarty

As we stood on the ridge overlooking the valley one of the more observant of our group pointed to a distant 'dot' soaring against the piled-up clouds. Our guide quickly identified the dot as a golden eagle, and it was getting closer. Within a minute the bird had come so close that we could see its enormous, splayed wings and the pale band of feathers that stand out from its otherwise dark plumage. It was eyeballing us, but once it decided we were not food it turned and effortlessly descended into the ravine on the far side of the mountain where we were standing. It was a magical experience, but we had not hiked for hours to this ridge to look for eagles. We were on the hunt for signs of wolves, and in these mountains they are plentiful.

🎥 Les loups s'installent à Marseille ! Une véritable meute a pris ses quartiers dans le @ParcCalanques qui offre à ces canidés "un lieu de quiétude unique pour se développer".

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— Made in Marseille (@MadeMarseille) July 17, 2023