Germany eases curbs on shooting wolves, in nod to farmers

FILE PHOTO: A wolf is seen in the wildlife Park Schorfheide near Gross Schoenebeck, Germany, March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's cabinet agreed on Wednesday to loosen tight restrictions on shooting wolves to help tackle the growing threat they pose to livestock after a year-long row within Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition.

Traditionally a symbol of cunning and wickedness in German folklore, characterised as the 'big bad wolf' in fairy tales such as "Little Red Riding Hood", wolves disappeared from Germany more than a century ago.