Hanna Pettersson tells a story about the intricate challenge of sharing space with wolves, and why we should hail pragmatism in conservation. She gives examples of people, places and situations encountered during her work with pastoral communities in Spain, whose practices maintain some of Europe's most culturally and biologically diverse landscapes. This story explores what we can learn from these communities about the conditions of harmonious coexistence with wolves, which expands far beyond the presence of guardian dogs, fences and shepherds.