Sweden’s wolves in hunters’ sights as government eases protection
From Euractiv.com:
Following the recent downgrade of the wolf’s protection status across Europe, Sweden is almost halving the number of individuals that must remain protected. The Swedish government announced today that it will reduce from 300 to just 170 the population size that must be maintained to meet the criteria for ‘favourable conservation status’ under EU rules.
“A first interim goal is for the wolf population to be reduced to 270 individuals by the next licensed hunt in 2026,” Swedish Minister of Rural Affairs Peter Kullgren said. The decision has been communicated to the European Commission and will apply across the country for the next six years, unless the EU executive decides to challenge it.
