We all know the big bad wolf of fairy-tale fame—over hundreds of years the wolf has become a culturally imprinted symbol of fear that’s completely detached from reality. In fact there weren’t even any wolves in western Europe for a long time. But they’re back—for example in Germany, where these social animals now occupy a few scattered areas around the country that people have left to them.

The comeback of the wolf in Germany resulted from a democratic decision that is carefully managed within a bureaucratic framework. This meticulous documentary follows some of the people—scientists, conservationists and shepherds—who are keeping a close eye on the wolves.

Scenes of these people at work in the field and in laboratories are interspersed with conversations and presentations at political hearings. As well as monitoring the wolves, they add their voices to counter the fact-free public debate and tendentious arguments put forward by opponents.