Decline in the number of wolves in Scandinavia
According to new estimates, there are 510 wolves in Scandinavia. This represents a small decrease from last year.
This information is revealed in the annual report on the population status of the Scandinavian wolf population, published by Norwegian Rovdata and the Swedish Wildlife Damage Centre.
During the winter, a total of 51 wolf litters were documented in Scandinavia in 2022, which is a decrease of three litters compared to the previous year. Out of the 51 documented litters, three were found in fully Norwegian territories, six in territories spanning the border between Norway and Sweden, and 42 in fully Swedish territories, as reported by Rovdata (link in Norwegian).
“While the number of fully Swedish litters remains unchanged from last year, there was one less fully Norwegian litter and two fewer litters in cross-border territories. As a result, the estimated number of wolves is slightly lower than last year,” says Jonas Kindberg, director of Rovdata.
How many wolves there are in Sweden and Scandinavia is calculated by multiplying the number of documented wolf litters by ten. This method includes both living and deceased wolves throughout the registration period.
In Norway, the authorities aim to register all wolves within the country's borders. In May, it was announced that a total of 89–92 wolves were registered in fully Norwegian territories, cross-border territories, or roaming in the country during the winter. This was the first time in seven years that the number of wolves registered was below 100, representing a decrease of almost 30 per cent compared to the previous year.
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Translated by Alette Bjordal Gjellesvik.
Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no
