Sweden's Wolf Population Continues to Decline, Inventory Reveals
A new report shows Sweden's wolf population continues to decline, highlighting geographic shifts and wildlife management implications.
Key Points
- • Wolf population down from 375 to 355 in one year.
- • The inventory is critical for wildlife management and hunting regulations.
- • Most wolves now reside in Örebro län, a shift from Värmland.
- • Continued decline in territories observed in Värmland and Dalarna.
In a recent inventory report by Naturvårdsverket, Sweden's wolf population has decreased significantly, falling from approximately 375 to 355 wolves over the past year. This inventory, conducted annually between October 1 and March 31, assesses the number of registered family groups, territorial pairs, and territories with pups, essential for wildlife management decisions and ensuring a sustainable population level.
According to Mona HansErs, head of the wildlife analysis unit at Naturvårdsverket, these findings will be critical for determining future wolf management policies, including the allowable number for licensed hunting. Notably, the report indicates a geographical shift in wolf territories, with Örebro län now hosting the largest number of wolf territories, contrasting with previous years where Värmland topped the list.
Despite a stable count of family groups and territorial pairs in the southern management area over the last three years, there is a continuing decline of territories in Värmland and Dalarna, while areas such as Örebro and Västmanland show an increase. The implications of this data could significantly influence wildlife management strategies moving forward, as the balance between conservation efforts and population control becomes more critical.