Large carnivores, including wolves, should remain strictly protected within the EU, and have a right to co-exist with humans, say an overwhelming majority of rural inhabitants across 10 EU Member States. Wolves are currently at the risk of having their protection downgraded, as the European Commission is currently assessing ‘evidence’ generated by an irregular public consultation process initiated in September 2023, which could lead to a proposal to do so. This move would jeopardise efforts made in the last years for the recovery of wolves in Europe.