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Several assessments of large carnivore status exist. Since different surveying and monitoring methods are used in different countries, some uncertainty remains and population ranges are given.

IUCN assessment of population figures (2012-16)

In 2012 the conservation status of European large carnivores was assessed by a group of experts from each country where large carnivores are present. This information has been recently updated for 2012-16 (see the LCIE website for more information). Although the available data and the methodology used varied greatly from country to country, the information presented below represents the best available independent assessment of large carnivore status.

Continental Europe (excluding Russia and Belarus) is home to 1,000-1,250 wolverines (600 to 800 in the EU), 8,000-9,000 Eurasian lynx (7,000 to 8,000 in the EU), 17,000 brown bears (15,000 to 16,000 in the EU) and 17,000 wolves (13,000 to 14,000 in the EU). The 32 populations comprise of between some tens of individuals up to several thousands, crossing several borders of up to five EU countries.

Member State assessment of population figures 2013-18

The article 17 of the Habitats Directive requires every member state to report every six years about progress made on implementation of the directive. The focus of the reporting process is to capture the status and trends of protected habitat types and species. Member states are responsible for the collection of data and the production of their national report. Results for the last assessment of conservation status can be searched by country, biogeographic region and species name in the Eionet platform and are published in the State of Nature in the EU 2020.

Species	Brown Bear	Wolf	Eurasian Lynx	Wolverine
Range	16 Countries	20 Countries	19 Countries	2 Countries: Sweden and Finland
Number of regional assessments	26	45	33	4
Ordered by conservation status*	FV: 13 U1: 8 U2: 4 NA: 1	FV: 20 XX: 3 U1: 12 U2: 3 NA: 7	FV: 7 XX: 7 U1: 10 U2: 7 NA: 2	FV: 1 U1: 3
Total population	15,000 – 18,000 individuals	11,000 – 17,000 individuals	8,000 – 9,000 individuals	80,000 – 140,000 occupied 1x1km grids

* FV - Favourable NA - Not reported XX - Unknown U1 - Unfavourable inadequate U2 - Unfavourable bad

The population status of large carnivores for 2010-12 can be viewed here.

More information on the methodology for the 2012 update is available here:

• Report: Status, management and distribution of large carnivores – bear, lynx, wolf & wolverine – in Europe. Part 1 Summary report (pdf ~3.7mb)
• Report: Status, management and distribution of large carnivores– bear, lynx, wolf & wolverine – in Europe. Part 2 Country by country data (pdf ~7.3mb)