The Central Apennines (Italy) was announced as the sixth area within Rewilding Europe today during WILD 10, the World Wilderness Congress in Salamanca, Spain (4–10 October). The Central Apennines, known as “the Wild Heart of Italy” is a perfect example of a rewilding area that is very close to a big city. This the newest of our rewilding areas is only an hour and a half’s drive from Rome.

The Wildlife Comeback in Europe report marks a reversal in fortunes after hunting, habitat loss, and pollution have sent animals into decline over the past few centuries. The researchers looked at 18 mammals and 19 bird species found across Europe and they found that all, apart from the Iberian lynx, had increased in abundance from the 1960s until 2005.

In late August and in the beginning of September people in The Netherlands and  Belgium welcomed the first wolves in their countries since more than 100 years! Two countries with rapidly increasing numbers of wild herbivores in their natural areas. During the same period wild horses from The Netherlands were released in Latvia and Bulgaria, countries rich in wolves. Is this a coincidence?