The Swedish authorities allowed hunters this year to kill 75 wolves, in a number more than double what was allowed last year, out of an estimated number of 460 wolves, according to the Ministry of Environment.

Lars Björk an expert on carnivores with the Swedish Hunters’ Association, told AFP tracks of predators appear on the floor of a snow-covered forest in central Sweden, as in most parts of the country, wolves are hunted in large-scale hunting operations that cause great controversy in the Scandinavian country, reports Al-Rai daily.

Bjork added, “We are actually inside a new area for wolves, which is exactly where we are standing now,” he added, from inside a small hunting hut a few kilometers from the city of Västerås.

This is the first time that Sweden has permitted the hunting of such a high number of wolves, since the authorities re-allowed the hunting of these animals in 2010, as a result of the return of dogs that were exterminated until they became almost extinct in the twentieth century.

How can a country that has shown interest in environmental issues for decades allow the hunting of a species that it classifies itself as among the species that are highly vulnerable to extinction?

Controversy rages in this regard between supporters and opponents of wolf hunting in Sweden, where hunting is practiced for the purpose of eating moose, deer and bear meat.

In 2015, Brussels warned that wolf hunting in Sweden violated the European Habitats Directive, noting that numbers of the species “have not reached a level that guarantees its conservation”.

While Sweden holds the presidency of the European Union until June, other European countries, including France, are witnessing a division on this issue between those who advocate the increase in wolf numbers for goals related to biodiversity, and those who call for the protection of European herds.

Kjell-Arne Otoson, a member of the Christian Democratic Party, considers that Sweden is right to stand up to the decisions of the European Union.

Since the wolves have reappeared, there has only been one recorded attack that left a person dead. In an incident dating back to 2012, a captured wolf killed a ranger in Kolmarden Park, two hours south of Stockholm.

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency indicates the need for at least 300 wolves to ensure a healthy group of this kind, while scientists point out that 500 wolves is an appropriate number, and Parliament sets a maximum number of 270 wolves. As for the hunting association, it is considered that 150 wolves are sufficient in nature.


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