PRESS RELEASE
17 DECEMBER 2010
Licensed hunt of 20 wolves for 2011
A total of 20 wolves may be culled in six counties in the 2011 licensed hunt. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has authorised licensed hunting to comply with the parliamentary decision that the wolf population should be no more than 210 animals and 20 litters, by 2012.
“It’s impossible to balance the population at an exact level. We apply the lower wolf population growth rate estimates by researchers. This cautious approach is necessary to prevent licensed hunting of the population by more than what is necessary to reach the parliamentary target”, says Maria Ågren, Director-General of the EPA.
“This level allows us some latitude regarding protective hunting of wolves that kill or injure domesticated animals. This protective hunting is extremely important for instilling confidence in predatory management”, explains Maria Ågren.
This is the second year that the EPA has decided to authorise the licensed hunting of wolves in accordance with the 2009 parliamentary decision that introduced a new predator management. That decision also included regionalised predator management and genetic strengthening of the wolf population. Licensed hunting is a compensation for having new wolves moved into Sweden in order to alleviate inbreeding.
“An objective of licensed hunting is to increase popular acceptance of wolves. We plan to evaluate whether the hunt produces that effect, and will assign the task of determining this to social science researchers who have previously studied attitudes toward large predators”, Maria Ågren explains.
The decision to authorise the licensed hunt is based on research documentation of the wolf population and its possible distribution, the views of county administrative boards and the EPA’s Council for Predator Issues. The evaluation of the 2010 licensed hunt has also affected the structure of the hunt.
“In this decision, we emphasise the responsibility of the leader of the hunt to reduce the risk of wounding a wolf and to ensure that the hunt is carried out in an organised fashion”, says Susanna Löfgren, head of the Wildlife Management Unit.
The leader of the hunt is required to inform the hunting team of the conditions of the hunt and the risks of wounding, and instruct them to not shoot at moving animals. The leader of the hunt must notify the County Administrative Board, without delay, of any killed or wounded wolf, and check hourly with the Board regarding the current status of the quota.
This year’s hunt begins on 15 January, and will continue until 15 February or close earlier if the quota for a county or area has been filled. The EPA is working to produce an SMS service for each county holding a wolf hunt that will inform the leaders of the hunt whenever a wolf is killed in the county. This has been tested successfully in the County of Värmland last year.
Protecting eastern wolves
No wolves with eastern genes or any of their off-spring was killed in the 2010 hunt. No licensed hunting is allowed in areas where these immigrated wolves or their off-spring are known to live, such as the Galven territory in Gävleborg County.
“We may limit the hunt in additional areas, if DNA analyses show that there are wolves of eastern origin present. We have seen signs that one of them might be in Värmland County,” says Susanna Löfgren.
Licensed hunting is allowed in the six counties where the wolf population has reproduced during the past three years. The allocation has been made on the basis of how large the population is in the various counties. Approximately one-third has gone to Dalarna and Värmland Counties 6 wolves each, 3 to Gävleborg, 2 to Örebro and 2 to Västra Götaland Counties. In Västmanland County, which was not represented in 2010, one wolf will be allowed to be culled. Last year, 27 wolves were allowed to be culled, and 28 actually were.
“In general, we comply with the views of the County Administrative Boards. Only Västra Götaland’s request to eliminate the wolves in an entire territory was denied. As was the case last year, we feel that the hunt would be too great in relation to the total number of wolves to be culled in the whole Sweden”, explains Susanna Löfgren.
Fact: The decision is based on a growth rate of about 13 per cent. The wolf researchers at Skandulv have estimated with a growth rate of 13 per cent will support the culling of 18–20 wolves, and with a 19 per cent growth rate, 29–40 wolves can be culled.
For additional information, please contact:
Anneli Nivrén, Press Contact, +46 (0)10-698 13 12, +46 (0)70-206 37 27, anneli.nivren(a)naturvardsverket.se