Wolves are also regaining prominence in Italy. In the 1970s, the species had declined to roughly a hundred species and had vanished from the entire Alpine region. Since then, thanks in part to protection regulations, this big predator has slowly returned to forests and mountains. Today, there are roughly 3,300 species spread across the Alps, Apennines, and even some lowland areas. This increase is consistent with the rest of Europe, where the animal has experienced continuous growth in recent decades. "The wolf is an essential component of ecosystems, and its reintroduction is a positive development. "Its presence helps contain the population of ungulates (such as wild boar and deer), which pose a problem for agriculture," says Francesco Romito, vice president of the association 'I'm Not Afraid of the Wolf', which is dedicated to the conservation of the predator and raise awareness about its environmental importance. However, farmers disagree. Every year in the European Union, wolves kill 65,000 livestock heads, the majority of which are sheep and goats.