Roughly translated by TWIN Observer
NATURE / TT At least 300 wolves are needed in Sweden, according to a new vulnerability assessment of Naturvårdsverket. But it also requires a migration of at least one new eastern wolf every five years.
Without immigration, and reproduction by the migrant animals, the wolf population will continue to be heavily inbred.
“A requirement for a wolf population of 300 wolves is that it will increase wolves that are not related to the Swedish wolf population,” says Maria Hörnell Willebrand, head of unit for game analysis on the work.
WWF reluctant
Tom Arnbom, responsible for predators at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), however, wonder about the work’s conclusions:
“We are doubtful as to whether this will continue. What guarantees are there that there is continuous immigration? Now build everything on pious hopes,” he says.
The new figure, 300 wolves, is a small increase compared to the current minimum figure, 270 wolves, which parliament voted through by the previous government.
The report, drawn up on behalf of the current red-green government, is based on analyzes of two independent research teams, one Swedish and one American.
Want 600 wolves
According to scientists, and the work hands 300 animals to the EU Habitats Directive, should be regarded as fulfilled. Then the species is considered to be so-called favorable conservation status. But then it has been calculated the Swedish-Norwegian wolves as part of the large Russian population in the east.
At the same time it is pointed out, however, by the American researchers, Scott Mills and Jennifer Feltner at North Carolina State University, that if the wolf is to fulfill their ecological role in Sweden it requires a population of 600 wolves in the country – in other words, twice as many as needed to meet EU requirements.
Even the French researcher Guillaume Chapron, who is with the Swedish group, will come to that conclusion.
The Swedish wolf population includes approximately 400 animals.