Sheep rancher shoots wolf
A sheep rancher took matters into his own hands on Thursday and shot a
wolf that he claims attacked one of his lambs. A Greenpeace official is
questioning whether the incident was justified.
Sheriff’s office personnel took the dead wolf to the local veterinary college for testing.
Wolves are protected in Norway, but they can be shot in self-defense or
when determined to have caused widespread damage. Authorities have earlier
allowed official, but controversial, wolf hunts after heeding ranchers’
complaints that Norway’s wolf population was getting too large. Thursday’s
incident began when a rancher in Stor-Elvdal, Hedmark, says he found one
of his lambs dying from a wolf attack. Wildlife official Trond Oefstaas
told newspaper Aftenposten “there was no doubt” the lamb was killed by a
wolf, pointing to bite marks on the lamb’s neck.
He says the lamb was already dead when he arrived on the scene, noting
that the rancher killed it himself. He added that “it took some time”
before the rancher, who wouldn’t talk to the media, found the wolf, which
allegedly was on the verge of another lamb attack.
The rancher then killed the wolf, with one shot to the back of the head.
The incident is being investigated by police, but the rancher claims he
shot in self-defense.
Truls Gulowsen of Greenpeace, which is working to protect Norway’s small
wolf population, is far from at ease with happened on Thursday. “Earlier
it had to be proven that there really was ‘widespread damage’ from the
wolves, while today the damage assessment is too low,” he told newspaper
Aftenposten.
“If one wolf equates to one sheep, it means the end of wildlife here in
Norway,” Gulowsen.