Killing wolves will build public support says Swedish environmental protection agency-
Sweden allows first wolf hunt in 45 years. Times of the Internet
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Peter Kiermeir called this hunt to our attention. He wrote: “More or less unnoticed by the rest of the world another controversial wolf hunt is planned for 2010 in Sweden. After nearly half a century of full protection Sweden is going to hunt 20-40 wolves (out of a population of around 200, recovered from “almost zero” 30 years ago, to put the numbers into the right perspective). Sweden intends to limit overall wolf numbers to max 210 despite a statement of scientists that at least 500 would be needed for a healthy population. Officials say that this hunt is intended to raise the “acceptance of wolves in the public” and to “cut down the many poaching incidents”. Its remains questionable if it is wise to surrender to criminality (always assuming that this the true reason behind), but they pretend that a similar hunting scheme for bears cut poaching of bears to nearly zero. Another question not answered is how the handful of wolves that in a mathematical manipulation are “shared” with Norway count here. Latest news from Finland is today, that the Swedes intend to import wolves from Finland at a price of about 48000 Euros each, because they need to boost the population a little bit. In other words: They admit, they do not even have that 210 wolves. At least they get a little fresh blood into packs they have. I think the whole thing could be called “management”. What a crazy world….or does this sound all too familiar?”
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Yes. It sounds all too familiar. Ralph Maughan
Comments
How sad, it does sound like an appeasement rather than a necessity especially if they haven’t even got the number of wolves they claim to need in order to maintain in a micropopulation that small. It doesn’t increase public acceptance, it only satisfies the kill-thrill, nothing more. If that is what passes for public acceptance these days, I can’t see how the human population all over the planet can save itself from itself.
It’s the biosphere, the more you take away from it, the sooner you hasten your own demise as a specie. Here we go.
Sweden is twice the size of Idaho so it sounds like a small population especially if shared with Norway
Given the fact that my wife worked on some of the first wolf cases in Alaska when with SCLDF, she is ashamed to be Swedish at the moment. Sad day for an otherwise very civilized country
Barb Rupers,
Norway has a token number of wolves, and their tolerance of wolves is very low. Nevertheless, wolf opponents claim massive depredations.
The wolves are also inbred due to lack of external recruitment.
Norwegian wolf news
Lets keep this thread on Scandinavian wolves.
Why are Swedes hunting wolves if they are planning on buying them from Finland for over $70,000 each?
Barb,
because a very strong hunting, stockmen and anti-wolf coalition lobby insists on a hunt. True is, the swedish wolf population urgently need some fresh blood. They cannot rely that new wolves steadily trickle in from Finland / Russia. That route is quite long and dangerous. But the main curiosity is that they pay substantial sums to “buy” surplus wolves from Finland to strengthen the population – while at the same time the approve hunting this population. In Sweden many things are quite similar to the American West/Southwest. E.g. in Sweden they are also prone to similar conspiracy myths (Wolves planted out by the government from black helicopters to damage the sheep industry or released by notorius wolf lovers, etc.). That´s why I asked “does this sound all too familiar?”
More news from good old Europe? This time from Switzerland? Ok, Switzerland has no own wolf population but regularly receives trespassers from Italy, bound for France. Usually this journey is ended by gunfire on a mountain pasture in the alpine regions of Switzerland. Recently there was a anti-wolf demonstration, organized by about 800 sheep growers and supported by a member of the parliament . A selection of his best comments: “The Wolf has no place here, our fathers and grandfathers had every reason to eradicate wolves” and “co-existence of wolves with sheep and goat is simply not possible under acceptable conditions”. They claim that over all Switzerland they lost about 200 sheep from their (mainly unprotected ) herds in 2009 only. That is roughly the same number they lost to stray dogs in 2008 – in Canton Ticino only!
In Switzerland the offending wolf can be removed if it has killed 25 farm animals in a month or 35 in a season. That is very different than the 10(j) rule.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE57641A20090807
I see people in other places have the same ideas on wolves. It seems like that is one thing that does unite people.
The wolf situation is critical also in Finland. Not only has poaching been a serious problem, but recently the Ministry of Forest and Agriculture granted a wide permission to kill wolves and lynx in Lapland’s reindeer herding area. This is the very corridor the wolves are using to disperse from Russia into Scandinavia.
This hunt could wipe out the whole wolf population in Finnish Lapland.
To stop this the Finnish pro-wolf group “susiryhma” has launched a campaign urging people nationally and, particularly, internationally to contact the heart of Lapland, the tourism headquarters and Santa Claus himself… That is where the tourism dollars are. Slaughtering the wolves out of the way of Santa and his reindeer would not look good.
Just a note to Santa Claus wishig a good future for the wolf and lynx would make a big difference.
http://www.luontoliitto.fi/ssiryhma/joulupukinkirje.htm
Sudelle,
Thank you for this information about the threats to wolves in Finland.
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The URL at the bottom of your comments does not work.
I think this is the working link:
http://luontoliitto.fi/susiryhma/mainpage.htm
Thank you for pointing that out…
Come to find out…from the main page in English you still have to go to their website in Finnish (click on the upper right hand “Suomeksi”) which then gives you access to the campaign information–click on the right hand column “Join the action–send the message to Santa Claus.”
I must say, a rather complicated way to access the info; I will give the feedback to Susiryhma. Thank you!
It´s 10 000 „tags“ (applications by hunters to participate in the hunt) to hunt 27 wolves.
Same time, the Government tried to involve the hunting associations a little bit more into the conservation issues by asking where they would like the new wolves to be placed. Not a bad idea because Swedish hunters’ unions receive large sums every year to fund wildlife conservation. Unfortunately there are no constructive responses so far.
And now Sweden became the shame of the European Union. Unfortunately the Swedish Hunting Association is very influential and its members set in the Parliament. What can we do?? So… a country like Sweden with an area of 449,964 km2 has 200 wolves and those corrupt parliamentarians say they are too more…. What a hypocrisy, shame on you ! !
The story made the BBC today- looks like 9 wolves died on the first day of the hunt-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8436670.stm
Apparently, the first day death toll is up to 21 (of the 27 allowed to be killed.) It’s also amazing how the Swedish views on wolves mirror those of the rural US…
http://www.stockholmnews.com/more.aspx?NID=4598
Hi there ,
I stumbled on to this site and just have to make a comment.
To start with the population of wolves in Sweden (+Norway) is concentrated to a very small part of Sweden. (Norway)
The approx 210 wolves we had in Sweden last winter has increased. If it’s 230 or 300 we dont know. But there has been “children” born in atleast 20 wolf families. Last year we had one Wolf strolling over from Finland. (or 2 years ago) apart from this one and it’s children all other Swedish wolves are descendents from 3 wolves. The Swedish government believs it’s a better way for the wolves if we keep a lower number and instaed “helps” the immigrants from east to blend with the existing population. I agree. But I guess you guys all know so much about genetics that you can explain why this is wrong? Oh by the way. The hunt is only alloweed in the small areas where we have the highest concentration of wolves. And the area where the latest “immigrant” settled down to raise a family is also protected. I believe (without claiming to know exact figures) that the hunting is allowed only in maximum 10-20% of Sweden. So if you believe this hunt will be the end of all wolves in Sweden… well lets just say I am convinced it’s not!
Henke 67