Hunting of bears, wolves and lynx set to become easier in Finland

Hunting of bears, wolves and lynx set to become easier in Finland

Last month, the nation's biggest conservation group sharply criticised the plan, noting that wolves are highly endangered and strictly protected under EU law.

In a few days, the latest figures on the wolf population will be presented in Austria. KURIER has first details. There are new pack and confirmed offspring.

MTK says that the proposed changes are insufficient, especially to enable conservation hunting of wolves. On Thursday, the government of Petteri Orpo (Kok) submitted a bill to Parliament that aims to make bear, wolf and lynx hunting easier. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah says that the changes are part of efforts towards a more balanced large carnivore policy, where conservation hunting is possible.

The Ministry would be empowered to set a target for stock-management hunting of large predators on a species-by-species basis and by stock management area.

Finland will continue to work in the EU to lower the protection level of wolves, says Minister Essayah.

During this year's inventory, record low numbers of wolves were reported in Sweden, especially in Värmland and Dalarna. The decrease raises suspicions of widespread illegal hunting. In Dalarna, the number of wolf territories has decreased by 72 percent in ten years – from eleven territories in the winter of 2012–2013 to only 3.08 this year. In Värmland, there were 14 territories with puppies during the winter of 2021–2022, but this year only fou…