Sweden Wants to Import Wolves From Finland and Norway
Sweden wants to import wolves from the east to infuse new blood into her wolf pack.
Swedish authorities have now decided that these wolves should be brought in from either Finland or Norway. However, wolves are not allowed into reindeer herding areas.
The Swedish Parliament decided that 20 wolves from the east should be relocated to Sweden, to infuse new blood into the Scandinavian wolf pack, which suffers from inbreeding.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, along with two other state agencies, was commissioned to examine how this should be done, and they have now submitted their suggestions to the government.
These agencies have concluded that the native wolf population can be resuscitated with eastern wolves from Finland and Northern Norway. “Protection against infectious diseases works well in these countries. Finland has not had rabies for 20 years and neither country has the fox tapeworm. It would be highly unsuitable to introduce wolves from Russia or the Baltic where rabies is present,” says Carl Hård av Segerstad, head of department at the Swedish National Veterinary Institute SVA.
Six different models for introducing the wolves have been presented by the authorities. Adults and cubs, both wild and in captivity, are being considered for relocation. Wild wolves must however be de -wormed and vaccinated before being released. “A combination of all methods will most likely be best,” says Maria Ågren, director general of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
The authorities also list ten suitable counties in central Sweden where wolves are successfully breeding. The local council of each county has now been commissioned to select two likely areas for the new animals.
One of these counties is Dalarna, in the north-western region of which, the Sámi reindeer herding community of Idre. The county administrative board in Dalarna must find suitable areas, mindful of the restriction that the introduction site must lie at least 10 miles from reindeer grazing land.
However the warmer climate in Sweden has led to a request from the Sami Parliament to extend the reindeer grazing areas in the county of Dalarna – right into the heartland of the Swedish wolves.
