French government announces plan to 'educate' wolves not to kill sheep

In a bid to try and crackdown on the number of wolf attacks on farm animals the French government has announced a plan to try and "educate" the wild beasts.

Under a proposed "National Wolf Plan," the government says it will conduct experiments into "educating" the canine carnivore, which is spreading stealthily in remote areas.

It entails capturing individual wolves that are known to attack a local flock and then marking these bothersome predators before letting them go. The theory is that the animal will be so traumatized by the experience that it will leave the sheep alone and instead hunt for deer, boar, rabbits and other wild animals.

But if the wolf remains a problem, the ID makes it easier to be singled out and shot. "Eleven of France's regional parks have said they are willing to take part in the experiments," Ecology Minister Delphine Batho said this week.