1. Who governs the wolf population in Finland?
Mervi Laaksonen
7 March 2018, Brussels
Photo: Graig Jones/Wildlife Photography

2. Collaborators:
Luonto-Liitto/Wolf Action Group: Sami Säynevirta, Francisco Sánchez Molina, Marjut Anttilainen, Mari Nyyssölä-Kiisla, Marjut Anttilainen, George Kopteff, Nora Halminen, Julia Blombqvist and Sinikka Levi Pauliina Klemola

3. Derogation-based wolf hunting permits
AIM: implementation of non-lethal alternatives
69 applications
Reindeer herding area 28
Rest of Finland 41

5. Justification for derogation
Damages to semidomestic reindeer

9. Why wolves are killed? Feeling of insecurity
Harm to hunting with dogs (Eastern Finland)

10. Non-lethal alternatives (41 cases)
Wolf taxi 22 cases
Chasing wolves off (police permission) 19
Electric fences 15
6 cases with no NLAs (2 granted with permit)

11. Key problem 1: yard visits
Image of wolf >< natural behaviour of wolf
perceived as wolves have changed behaviour

12. Key problem 2: illegal hunting
Decree on hunting quotas by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry:
”Granting exemptions by reason of public security and interest of overriding importance (including social reasons) ….is to answer to local views and create legitimate approach to tackle nuisance individuals and thus prevent illegal wolf hunting.”

13. Key problem 2: illegal hunting
”Poachers govern Finnish wolf population”*
Goal: Favourable conservation status↑
Decrease acceptance of poaching
Appreciation of wolf↑
Highlight value of wolf for ecosystems
* Suutarinen & Kojola 2017, Chapron & Treves 2016

14. Thank You!
Luonto-Liitto/Wolf Action Group: Sami Säynevirta, Francisco Sánchez Molina, Marjut Anttilainen, Mari Nyyssölä-Kiisla, Marjut Anttilainen, George Kopteff, Nora Halminen, Julia Blombqvist and Sinikka Levi Pauliina Klemola