The first witnesses knew straight away it was not a dog. Several sightings have now been reported in the Salins area, on the eastern edge of the village, where open fields still hold out against the encroaching villas. A wolf. Photographed, watched, then gone into the scrub.
The municipality immediately contacted the Office français de la biodiversité and the relevant state services to ensure the situation is properly monitored. Since Friday, active surveillance has been organised in coordination with the OFB, the lieutenant de louveterie and municipal staff. Teams are making regular passes through the sector, and camera traps have been installed to identify the animal, track its movements and study its habits.
The first images show an animal that moves away as soon as it detects a human presence. Wary, then. Not aggressive. The mairie says there is no cause for alarm, while still recommending a few basic precautions.
In practice: residents are asked to secure their chicken coops, bring poultry inside at night, and keep dogs on leads. In the affected area, the municipality recommends sticking to daytime outings.
According to the OFB's latest maps, Saint-Tropez lies, like the rest of the region, within the broad eastern and south-eastern zone where wolf presence is considered possible. No great surprise to specialists. A genuine one, though, to the Tropéziens more accustomed to a sanglier crossing the road out by les Salins on a late mistral evening.
