the French tend to leave their sheep and goats un-sheded at night,

Sheep in the summer in the high alpage (where the wolves may attack) cannot be shedded, there are just no facilities for it. The flocks run into the thousands (of sheep per flock).

siegestate:

``French shepherds have gotten so used to the wolves' absence they have forgotten how to guard their flocks,'' Englebert said in a telephone interview from the National Park of the Queyras in the Alps. ``It's a sector that can't survive without government subsidies and they are using the wolf to mask their other problems.''

How French shepherds could possibly remember how to guard their flocks against wolves beats me, since wolves died out in France many generations ago. The problem is created by the return of the wolves, not by the shepherds. As for the cheap shot about subsidies, all farming in Europe (or almost) is subsidised. So are the activities of the wolf and bear promoters.

(Disclaimer: I have nothing against wolves and bears. Just bullshitters).