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The Swedish government has authorized the hunting and killing of as much as 50%
of existing lynx and wolverine populations whose habitat lies within grazing areas
of reindeer herds. Lynx and wolverine also receive protected status in Sweden.
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Reindeer keeping is a modern, high tech industry where herding is conducted across
open ranges with terrain motorcycles and helicopters, and herds are transported
between summer and winter feeding grounds by freight trucks.
There are hundreds of thousands of reindeer; between 3-10 times more than livestock
owners have a permit for. Supplementary feeding has become necessary to maintain this
large population which cannot subsist on existing vegetation. Perhaps an additional, connected concern has lodged deep in this conflict and still waits for accurate
research: degradation of tundra where grazing occurs and impact on other species
reliant on plant/herbivore interaction. The balance of an ecosystem with an average
three month growing period in the north of Sweden has most likely been upset.
It's the first time this "Protective Hunting" right has been afforded to owners of
free-ranging livestock and in reality, means that the killing of any Lynx or
Wolverine is permitted. While an exact determination of number of lynx and wolverine
sanctioned to be killed is unclear, an early press release reports as many as 150
lynx and 20 wolverines, while the most recent report states 98 lynx and 5 wolverine
dens with cubs. The lynx population in Sweden is currently estimated between 700-1000
-- about 300 have habitat in the most northern regions of Sweden within grazing pastures;
while current wolverine populations may hover around 150-200 individuals with perhaps
about 80 wolverine in grazing pastures. The reduction of these species within lands that
reindeer are trucked to for grazing represents a significant number. Collectively,
pastures for grazing represent about 1/3 the land mass of Sweden.
Originally, pressure applied to Naturvårdsverket (the state agency in
charge of the management of natural resources and wildlife), by lobbyists representating
the reindeer owners maintained they "cannot continue to breed reindeer" unless predator
populations are "controlled", had asked "to be allowed to decimate predators by 80%"
(originally specifying 4 of 5 predator species existing in Sweden: eagles, lynx, wolves
and wolverines), and resulted in Naturvårdsverket granting the right of "Protective
Hunting" against lynx and wolverine. When refused this amount, the reindeer owners stated
they were, "very disappointed that the Naturvårdsverk has broken the agreement that
the number of predators the reindeer-keeping industry need tolerate should be determined
by how many predators rational reindeer-keeping can handle". In a separate release by
Naturvårdsverket it is stated "the damages to the reindeer-keepers is too big to be
compensated with money" -- but no mention is made if financial compensation is given for
predation of reindeer over and above what an individual owner has a permit for.
Reindeer have been a main prey of lynx, wolverine and wolves since they all evolved
into their current species -- glacial epochs longer than man has been in the arctic
-- each species displays their success through their ancestors. The idea that these
few predators - these species that are supposed to be receiving protected status under
Swedish law, pose a significant threat to healthy reindeer herds does not stand up to
scrutiny.
That a significant number of predators can be hunted and killed indiscriminately while
sizes of reindeer herds are such a high percentage over the number permitted should, at
the very least, be questioned.
Anna Lindh
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Traditionally, Sweden compensates for loss due to predation and has a law called
"Protective Hunting". This law has in the past, been granted to owners of livestock
for the purpose of safeguarding their stock housed in pens, enclosures or fenced-in areas.