Sweden plans drastic reduction in wolf population to 170 wolves!

Sweden plans drastic reduction in wolf population to 170 wolves!

Schweden - In Sweden, the hunt for wolves will be officially opened from Thursday. The government has decided to drastically reduce the wolf population by being able to shot five wolf families with a total of 30 animals. This happened in the context of a significant decline in the wolf numbers, which fell by almost 20 percent between 2022 and 2023. There are currently around 375 documented wolves in Sweden, but the government plans to reduce the number to only 170 animals. This project has been announced after "significant problems and uncertainties" were repeatedly reported- from the politicians' perspective, a necessary step for more efficient wolf management, which should be both ecologically and socially sustainable, as the climate and environment minister Romina Pourmokhtari explained as well as nordisch.info .

wolf population under pressure

Critics, on the other hand, that this sudden reduction in the reference value for a "long -term viable wolf population" from 300 to 170 wolves is not only arbitrary, but also dangerous. This could lead to an increased inbreeding and possibly the breakdown of the population. Experts like Wolf researcher Olof Liberg sharply criticize the decision and emphasize that there is no scientific basis for such a drastic reduction. He and other experts warn that such a low population could have fatal effects on the survival of the wolves in Sweden, as well as In addition, the Swedish government, while at the same time softening the wolf's protection status in the wilderness, has illustrated the attitude towards the matters of farmers in rural areas. Farmers should continue to secure themselves with fences and other protective measures against possible attacks by the wolves for farm animals. Despite the encouraging news of a new genetically valuable wolf, which recently immigrated to Sweden, many environmentalists are concerned about the political decisions that contradict animal welfare and could endanger European standards, especially in view of the global decline in species