Twelve new wolf litters detected in Norway and its border areas last winter

Twelve wolf litters have been detected in Norway and border areas this winter, of which five in all-Norwegian areas and seven in border areas. Thus, the wolf stock is above the Norwegian parliament’s (Storting) goals.

This winter, wolf pups born in 2020 have been detected in the five all-Norwegian territories of Hornmoen, Kynna, Bograngen, Mangen, and Aurskog. 

At the same time, wolf pups have been detected in the seven border areas of Varåa, Ulvåa, Juvberget, Kockohonka, Kymmen, Rømskog, and Boksjø, which lie between Norway and Sweden.

The data has been revealed in a new report prepared by Høgskolen i Innlandet, on behalf of Rovdata.

The Storting has set a national population target of four to six annual wolf litters in Norway and in border areas, of which at least three litters must be born in all-Norwegian territories. 

Above the national population target

“When this year’s litters in the border areas with Sweden are divided equally between the countries, it leads to 8.5 litters in Norway. The population is thus above the national population target. 

“There has been a decrease of one litter in all-Norwegian territories, while there has been an increase of two litters in border areas from last year,” Jonas Kindberg at Rovdata noted.

In total, between 109 and 114 wolves have been detected in Norway and the border areas this winter, which is an increase from between 99 and 103 last year. 57 to 58 of these are all-Norwegian, while between 52 and 56 lived on both sides of the border with Sweden.

The figures include 24 dead wolves that were shot during licensed hunting or felling. Therefore, 85 to 90 wolves were left in Norway. That is about the same number as the 90 to 93 wolves that remained at the same time last winter after 13 dead wolves were deducted from the total.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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