Visiting Sweden

Eight million euros a year for wolf monitoring

The wolf is repeatedly spotted in Upper Austria.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

A delegation led by Provincial Councillor Michaela Langer-Weninger (ÖVP) went to Sweden for tips on wolf management. Eight million euros were invested there last year for monitoring alone. The Provincial Councillor continues to call for the protection status to be lowered.

"We have the best wolf monitoring in the world," says Daniel Mallwitz, proud of his work in Sweden. He is one of around 100 experts working on the Isegrim population in the far north. And this research costs a lot of money in Sweden: Last year, eight million euros were invested in wolf monitoring alone, and a further two million for management.

Free app for sightings
Every wolf identified in Sweden using DNA is given its own number. All data is entered into a free app and can be viewed by anyone. With one click, you can easily view the routes of all wolf packs in Sweden.

Daniel Mallwitz, one of Sweden's leading wolf experts, showed how wolves are dealt with in the far north.

(Bild: Land OÖ)

Legal hunting of wolves
The biggest difference to Upper Austria, apart from the financial aspect, is the licensed hunting. Every year, a number of wolves to be taken is calculated, which may then be legally hunted in the selected areas from January 2 to February 15. Experts estimate that 400 wolves live in Sweden. They are a threat to reindeer in the north in particular.

Two wolves killed in Upper Austria
In Upper Austria, six "problem" wolves have been released for shooting since last year, two of which were shot. Langer-Weninger is calling for the protection status to be lowered: "We need an amendment to the FFH guidelines (note: fauna-flora-habitat) so that we can reduce the strict protection status and remove animals. The population doubles every three years."