Hi all. I know I promised to talk about the wolf-dog hybridism in my next post, but it requires more research and time than I anticipated, so I'll just give you an update on some news on wolves here in Finland.
To this day, the 7th of February, 37 wolves have been shot during the trial management hunt.
Sex ratio is 22 males and 15 females. Shortest distance between a spot where wolf was shot and a residential house was approx. 150 meters ( 164 yards) and the longest distance was 8,6 km (5,3 miles)
43% of the wolves were shot less than 1 km ( 0,62 miles) from a residential house.
The amount of wolves killed by orders of the police is currently 8. Latest was from yesterday when a young male was shot after several visits to yards. This individual is probably injured since blood was discovered from the spot he had laid down. The number 7 was a alpha-female of Tolkkee pack. Police and hunters had tried to haze her away from yards for a full week before kill order was given since hazing did not work. She was alone, either driven away by younger members of the pack or in search for new mate since her mate was found dead in May. Cause of death was ruptured urinary bladder.
A pack of wolves has prowled inside a town of Mellilä in Loimaa munincipality, Varsinais-Suomi.
The pack has visited the town in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday. The local large carnivore liason person told that wolf tracks were found around a dog cage. There had been 2 sets of large and 4 sets of smaller prints on the snow. He said it was a shame that there we no feces in the area which would have given DNA to find out from which pack these animals were from. The nearby school has been informed of the wolves presence and school has informed the parents of the children living in the area. The liason person notes that this was not the first time wolves have been known to visit the town area. In the nearby rock crushing plant wolves were caught by surveillance cameras three weeks ago.
He continues that from towns of Oripäänkangas, Niinijoki and Vilvainen have constantly given reports of 1 or more wolves for at least 3 times a week.
