Record wolf hunting can wait this winter

Most animals can be shot in Örebro county - a total of 36 wolves. In Västmanland and Dalarna, which share territory, 18 wolves may be killed, in Västra Götaland 12 and in Södermanland 6. In Värmland, however, there will be no wolf hunting this winter.

Last year's license hunt was stopped in court after appeals from, among others, the Nature Conservation Association. The canceled season means that next year's hunt, which starts on January 2, could be the largest since license hunting resumed in 2010.

The result from the record year 2023, when 75 wolves were allowed to be shot, ended in 57 animals killed.

The decision to stop this year's license hunt came after the EU gave stinging criticism to Sweden for having, without scientific basis, greatly lowered the value for so-called favorable conservation status from 300 to 170 wolves. According to the court, hunting risked threatening the survival of the species in Sweden in the long term.

The criticism caused the government to back down and this summer raise the reference value to 220 wolves.

Thursday's announcement is seen by the Nature Conservation Association, which believes that the extended hunt puts the wolf's long-term survival in Sweden at risk.

"It is outrageous that every fifth wolf in Sweden will be shot even though the tribe is highly threatened. Our wolves are already heavily inbred and this hunt risks worsening the situation further. It is irresponsible risk-taking with a peaceful and highly threatened species," says Beatrice Rindevall, chairperson of the Nature Conservation Association, in a comment to TT.

The latest inventory, which was done last winter, showed that there were approximately 355 wolves in Sweden.