Wolves in Europe will be less protected from hunting from 2025, after a majority of European countries on Tuesday accepted a proposal to downgrade their status due to their growing number and their impact on agriculture and farming livestock.

European nations have approved plans to scale back the protection for wolves in a victory for farmers over environmentalists that has caught the political limelight in the European Union.

The Council of Europe is paving the way for tougher action against wolves as their numbers grow steadily in several countries in the bloc. The responsible committee on Tuesday approved a corresponding proposal by the EU member states to lower the creature's protection status.