Wolves were exterminated from France during the first half of the 20th century. However at the end of the century and the beginning of the 21st, wolves started to recolonise from their stronghold on the Italian peninsula.
The first wolves were sighted around 1996-7 back in France. In the 25 years since, the wolf in France has multiplied and spread.
There are many wilderness areas in France and there is definitely space for a significant population of these charismatic animals.
However for the first time, wolves have been sighted in Normandy. The animal in question was solitary, and therefore probably looking for a mate. Young wolves can disperse incredible distances, and as such this is not a sign that Normandy has a permanent population. Having said this, wolves settling are unlikely to be far behind.
Indeed if this lone wolf met another lone wolf, you would likely end up with Normandy’s first pack. Unless France decides to eradicate the wolf – likely a very expensive and complex task now, they are likely to fully colonize Normandy some time in the next few decades. As with other wildlife species around the world, wolves have taken advantage of the lessening of human presence over the last year to spread and recolonize.
The return of wolves to Normandy should not be thought of as a bad thing. Some preparation should be made by farmers, which can almost eliminate the risk of loosing animals, however a permanent wolf population would do much good reducing the local population of deer – which has been the cause of an increasing number of car crashes over the years.