Norwegian Predators Are Under Threat: Politicians' Proposal to Reduce Population Targets Raises Concerns
Published 11.02.2022
Norways predator populations are already at risk, and political proposals to lower the current population goals for wolves and bears raise concerns among environmental organizations. NMF and others argue that the proposal violates the Bern Convention, which commits Norway to maintaining viable populations. Despite efforts for zonal management to reduce conflicts with the livestock industry, predators such as wolves and bears continue to be targeted by licensed hunting and illegal hunting, threatening both the genetic health and ecological function of the populations.
Norwegian predators are under pressure
Norwegian predators are under pressure. Currently, their populations are regulated according to goals set by the Parliament, but unfortunately, these levels are well below what is necessary to maintain viable populations. A new proposal has now been put forward in Parliament to further lower these population targets. At the same time, we have an agriculture minister who is eager to remove all wolves from Norway – a violation of Norway's international obligations under the Bern Convention.
Predators such as wolves, bears, lynx, and wolverines have always been part of Norwegian nature, with the exception of the wolf, which was nearly driven to extinction in the 1960s and 70s. These predators have survived in small populations, partly due to immigration from Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The return of the wolf has occurred despite significant risks from hunting and poaching. The Norwegian authorities, through the Bern Convention, the Nature Diversity Act, and several parliamentary agreements, have committed to maintaining viable populations of predators, but in practice, the follow-up may seem weak.
Efforts are now underway on multiple fronts to reduce the population targets for both wolves and bears, with consideration for the approximately 2 million sheep that graze on outlying pastures in Norway. The Norwegian Environmental Protection Association (NMF) proposed zonal management in the early 2000s as a measure to minimize conflicts between predators and livestock.
Although predators do take sheep within this zonal management strategy, far more livestock are lost without the involvement of predators. In 2021, around 15,000 sheep were compensated for predator losses, but in the same year, approximately 85,000 sheep disappeared from outlying pastures due to other causes. The Norwegian Environmental Protection Association finds it striking that the annual losses of sheep on outlying pastures – which amount to about 100,000 – are not given greater attention on the political agenda. Why isn't more being done to reduce these significant losses? Why does the impact of predators seem to overshadow such extensive animal suffering?
The wolf's situation and challenges in management
Many wolves in Norway are affected by inbreeding to varying degrees, with the exception of some individuals that migrate from Finland and Russia. Data from the predator councils' evaluations of the wolf population in 2020/2021 have mapped the degree of inbreeding in territorial pairs and breeding packs. To ensure a genetically strong wolf population moving forward, it is crucial to prioritize the removal of the most inbred packs if the population needs to be regulated to meet the Parliament's population targets. As a general rule, wolf management should aim to avoid reproduction from weakened genes. The predator councils' choice of wolf territories for hunting could be a first step in strengthening the population in the long run.
However, NMF strongly objected to the decision to include the Rømskog pack in the winter's licensed hunt. This pack has low inbreeding and does not pose a threat to livestock in the area. Thanks to the introduction of new genetic material through migrating individuals in the 2nd and 3rd generations, inbreeding in the pack has been reduced in recent years. If the decision is made to reduce the number of wolves within the wolf zone, hunting efforts should first be directed at the most inbred packs. Such a strategy would help improve the population genetically. Despite this, the Minister of Climate and Environment authorized the removal of the Rømskog pack.
NMF only supports licensed hunting of wolves within the wolf zone if the hunting is strategically aimed at genetically weakened packs. In future evaluations of licensed hunting, the inbreeding coefficient of each pack should be a decisive criterion.
Management through bureaucracy and the judicial system
NMF, together with other organizations, chose to appeal the decisions of the large carnivore committees to the Ministry of Climate and Environment. The Ministry's decision confirmed the committees' decision to allow the culling of wolves in the Norwegian territory of Hornmoen, as well as wolves in the border territories of Rømskog and Bograngen on the Norwegian side. It also allowed for the removal of the Slettås territory. The breeding pair in Slettås had already been culled outside the wolf zone, but the territory had still recorded pups.
Several organizations then took the case to the Oslo District Court, which initially temporarily halted the hunting. The state has appealed the decision.
Norway's obligations under the Bern Convention
Norwegian wolf management is based on the Bern Convention of September 19, 1979, which obligates European countries to conserve wild plants and animals, as well as their habitats. Norway ratified the convention in 1986, and the obligations from it have also been integrated into Norwegian law through the Nature Diversity Act, where the protection of wolves is enshrined in Section 18. According to the Bern Convention, each country is responsible for maintaining viable populations. In practice, this means that Norway must maintain a wolf population of at least 340 individuals, with regular influxes of genetically new blood. The state cannot unilaterally change the exception conditions in Article 9 of the Bern Convention, and neither the convention nor the Nature Diversity Act allows for management based solely on national population targets.
Norway's management of wolves should therefore align with international agreements, which entails ensuring a sustainable and genetically robust wolf population over time.
The Brown Bear in Norway: Targets Under Pressure and Challenges in Management
The brown bear is a subject of intense debate among farmers, bureaucrats, and politicians in Norway, and, like the wolf, has become a target for poaching. In 2020, two serious cases were investigated in Trøndelag where tracks and tips from the field indicated that a total of 12 bears had been illegally killed. However, both cases were closed without charges.
The brown bear population is below the goal set by the Norwegian Parliament of 13 annual litters, with only an estimated 8.5 litters recorded in 2020. Finnmark is the only region with a significant bear population, where 59 individuals were detected in 2020, but only 2.5 litters were recorded. These bears are part of the Norwegian-Russian population, highlighting the importance of genetic exchange across national borders for this endangered species.
Norway's predator populations are showing signs of growth, but the development varies between species. The fact that some politicians now wish to reduce wolf and bear populations may indicate a lack of understanding of the important role predators play in the ecosystem. Through the Bern Convention, Norway is obligated to maintain viable populations of these animals and thus ensure sustainable management that aligns with both national and international requirements.
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