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🇸🇪 Sweden /Environment & Climate

394 bears to be hunted in Sweden amid strong criticism

From Svenska Dagbladet · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Sweden's licensed bear hunt will allow 394 bears to be killed, representing 14% of the population.
  • Conservation groups like the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and the Swedish Predator Association strongly criticize the quotas and plan to appeal.
  • The decision impacts the northernmost counties, with Norrbotten nearly doubling its quota and Västerbotten aiming to reduce its population significantly.

Sweden has decided to allow the hunting of 394 bears during the upcoming licensed hunt, a figure representing 14% of the country's estimated bear population of 2,800. The hunt, scheduled to begin on August 21, will take place in the seven northernmost counties.

However, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from conservation organizations. The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and the Swedish Predator Association have both voiced strong opposition to the quotas. The Swedish Predator Association announced its intention to appeal the decisions, arguing that the current hunting levels are too high and are leading to a significant reduction in the bear population.

We consider it far too high a take given that the bear is protected and strictly protected.

— Isak IsakssonIsak Isaksson, an expert on predators at the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, commented on the high hunting quotas.

Isak Isaksson, a predator expert at the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, stated that the licensed hunt, combined with "protection hunting" (skyddsjakt), results in a total take exceeding the decided quotas. He expressed concern that the recent licensed hunts have already led to a sharp decrease in the bear population.

The licensed hunts in recent years have led to a sharp decrease in the bear population.

— Isak IsakssonIsak Isaksson expressed concern about the impact of hunting on the bear population.

Specific quotas vary by county. In Norrbotten, the number of bears allowed to be killed nearly doubles to 46, compared to 24 last year. This increase is attributed to a low number of bears killed during protection hunts in the spring. Västerbotten will allow 100 bears to be hunted, the same as last year, with the goal of reducing the local population from over 500 to a target of 350.

The Swedish Predator Association plans to challenge the decisions, particularly the quota for Västerbotten. They aim to have the decisions reviewed against the EU's Habitats and Species Directive, which takes precedence over Swedish legislation. Björn Israelsson, a lawyer for the association, emphasized their goal of maintaining a viable bear population.

Generally, we appeal decisions regarding protection hunting and licensed hunting. We want a viable bear population.

— Björn IsraelssonBjörn Israelsson, a lawyer for the Swedish Predator Association, explained the organization's stance on hunting decisions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Svenska Dagbladet in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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