Sweden
Sweden has the capacity to be a stronghold for wolves bears and Lynx, it is the 5th largest country in Europe, just behind the size of Spain. More interestingly for us, 69% of it is forested and much of the north and west of the country is either covered in hills or mountains.
With all this, you would think that there would be huge populations of wolves bears and lynx (as well as wolverines and various other animals). Unfortunately this is not true, as there is a substantial amount of hunting that goes on in the country. There is currently thought to be a population of 460 wolves (at the beginning of the year, there is a cull planned). The governments target is 170-270. Now this is actually relatively stupid, as it suggests that humans think that the correct number of wolves is different to the natural number. The main issue, is that the animal that the wolves like to hunt is also the animal that the humans like to hunt: the Elk.Â
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Below is our sightings board. Please do use it, report the wildlife you encounter. Unfortunately due to the current amount of poaching and legal hunting, we will move all historic sightings behind a membership wall, so as to not be used by hunters. Never-the-less, reporting sightings will always remain free – help us build an accurate understanding of where wildlife is living and how it is using the land available.
There is also an issue, in that the wolves that need to be culled are killed by hunters. As such, it is in their interest to suggest that there are more than there are, so that they can hunt more. This years cull is aiming to take 75 wolves. This population estimate is incredibly encouraging, as when we visited Sweden a few years ago the wolf population was only around 300, so in theory, the population has been allowed to grow by 50%. However, as I have said many times, the more tourism that goes to see these animals, the more interest there will be on the financial value that comes with wolves. It should be noted that wolves were extinct in the country for 20 years between 1960-1980. However, given its long border with Russia, only a continual effort could keep the wolves gone. We want to reach a point where the wolf population is allowed to grow, because so much money is entering the country due to wolf tourism.
On our trip, we saw a wolf twice. The first time was a chance visit from a wolf while sitting in a bear hide. We also had a fleeting sighting of a wolf that was harrying a group of Elk with calves further south.
In terms of bears, Sweden has around 5600 bears in the country which is the greatest number on the continent (and includes 46% of European bears, outside Russia)
Our bear hide visit (which is listed under hides and linked here) and is well worth visiting) resulted in 6 bears during the night, as well as the surprise wolf and various other species.
There is a small but growing ecotourism business in Sweden. One of the big advantages, is that a summer visit has daylight for as much as 21 hours a day, which means that an overnight hide visit can still give many sightings.
There are thought to be around 1450 lynx in the country. These animals are sometimes called the ghost cat, as they are incredibly rarely seen, even by those who work in the wilderness.
Bison have not yet got any presence in the country.
Further Links to areas to visit will appear below the list of blog posts on Sweden
Sweden is often held up as the way to do forestry, but is the bubble about to burst?
- Tim
- August 19, 2022
Wild trip to Sweden – Part Two – Bear watching
- Tim
- September 27, 2018
Wild trip to Sweden – Part One – the journey
- Tim
- September 25, 2018
Electric car myths: Mike Parry spouting rubbish to Jeremy Vine – Useful as the electroheads do a good job of putting it right (if your hesitant to buy an electric car – this should help)
- Tim
- July 10, 2024
Should wolf hunting return to Western Europe?
- Tim
- March 28, 2024
Should wolves in Europe have their conservation downgraded? Are they really stable enough to be hunted again
- Tim
- March 22, 2024
Does the wolf belong in Germany? Not according to the CSU
- Tim
- May 24, 2023
Rich countries continue to fail to live up to pledge of $100 billion dollars a year to poor countries to help climate mitigation
- Tim
- September 26, 2022
Hello – I am back. Wildlife trip watching Cantabrian bears
- Tim
- June 27, 2022
A simple change in how bitcoin is verified, could cut energy consumption by 99%
- Tim
- June 8, 2022
Swedish firm deploy crows to pick up cigarette butts
- Tim
- May 28, 2022
Wolf encounter in France (not mine unfortunately)
- Tim
- May 19, 2022
Return of the bear wolf and lynx to France and western Europe
- Tim
- March 11, 2022
Glass is capable of being endlessly recycled – but some countries are better than others
- Tim
- March 7, 2022
Norway keeps demonstrating that they are not good conservators of the wildlife on their land
- Tim
- February 18, 2022
Bears should be given more respect as predators
- Tim
- January 25, 2022
Ikea the Swedish flat pack giant has a green reputation but this may be less right than it should be
- Tim
- November 2, 2021
Whipsnade zoo shoots two Bears after they escape
- Tim
- May 24, 2021