Finnish hunters warn: wolf population growing and becoming dangerous for humans

The Finnish Hunters' Union has published a statement on its website reiterating the increase in the wolf population and the need to regulate it. According to the organisation, the current regime, which prohibits the hunting of wolves in the country and only allows the hunting of individuals with special permits, is no longer appropriate to the realities of the natural environment. Predator numbers are on the rise, attacks are increasing and wolves are already coming into people's backyards.Source here

Hunters point out that there are increasing reports of wolves tearing up hunting dogs during hunting trips or taking pets directly from farms. On 11 September, a dog was reported in Viitasaari to have been carried away by a wolf just eight metres from the door of a house. A similar case occurred in Varpaisjärve in July. According to hunters, this shows that wolves are gradually losing their fear of humans.

Recent events in Europe are even more worrying. According to the Federation for Hunting and Conservation in Europe (FACE), five wolf attacks on humans have been recorded in the Netherlands in a year, including three on children. DNA tests confirmed that the attacks were caused by two different wolves. In Italy, 23 wolf attacks on humans have been officially recorded since 2011, and in three cases in the last two years, DNA tests have proven that the attacker was a wolf.

The Finnish Hunters' Union reminds us that in countries where wolves are not hunted, they become bolder and come closer to people. This means that attacks on people, especially children, can soon be expected. For example, in 2019, eight fatal bear attacks and 76 injuries were recorded in Romania, showing the consequences of an uncontrolled expansion of the predator population.

The Association stresses that population management is the only effective way to keep wolves and other predators at bay. If a wolf does not feel any consequences for coming into yards, it becomes increasingly bold. Only targeted population control can keep predators away from humans and their habitat.

Last hunting season in Finland, 32 hunting dogs were mauled by wolves, and eight attacks have already been recorded this season. The Hunters' Union is calling on the government to urgently change the law to provide for quota hunting for all large predators throughout the country, not just in reindeer herding regions.

The Hunters' Union proposes that the optimum threshold for the wolf population should be set at 165 individuals. In Sweden, this threshold is 170 wolves, and the European Union has recognised Sweden's example as a successful population management practice. The situation in Finland is further complicated by the fact that the number of wolves in the country is steadily increasing due to the arrival of wolves from Russia – this summer alone they caused 1300 damages to reindeer in the Kuusamo region.

According to the 2024 survey, two out of three Finns support hunting to regulate the population of large predators. The Hunters' Union stresses that it is time to act to ensure a secure future for people and predators and to prevent potential attacks on humans.