Wolf census

New census is out. According to it, after all human caused mortality (75 individuals) the wolf population of Finland is 200-235 wolves. This means that before hunting and all other human caused mortality, wolf population was at least 275-310 strong.

Number of packs is approx. 37-39 and 16 pairs. Out of these, 26-27 packs and 14 pairs live wholly inside Finland's borders. Half of the individuals that are part of these 10 bordering packs and pairs are counted in Finland's population. If the bordering packs and pairs would be counted completely in Finland's population, it would stand 230-270 strong.

According to preliminary results of the test hunt, 24 over 2-year old (adults) and 19 under 2 yr old wolves were taken. More precise information of the ages will be attained after Matson Institute in Montana has done their age estimates from teeth.

 The map of packs and pairs. Numbers inside the green and gray circles are amount of individuals in the pack

Hunted and otherwise removed or dead wolves.

Red dot signifies the management hunt and if there is a black dot inside of the red one, the individual was an alpha.

Green is wolves removed with exempt permit due amount of damage and threat individual has caused. Black dot means the individual was an alpha

Blue is wolves removed by the orders of the police and black dot means the individual was an alpha.

Green square indicates individuals killed by vehicle collisions

Blue squares are wolves that have died of other causes.

The single red triangle indicates an incident, where hunter had to kill a wolf trying to attack him.

Police: Killing of a nuisance wolf in Piikkiö has lead to threaths

Police: Killing of a nuisance wolf in Piikkiö has lead to threats

According to Police of Lounais-Suomi the removal of a nuisance wolf in Piikkiö in Saturday has heated the conversation in social media.

According to police all comments haven't been appropriate or based in facts. Sharpest comments in social media have even threatened hunters participating in the hunt.

Police says that the decision to remove the wolf was made by a ranking officer of the police force and a consultation was made with a liaison person of the game administration. The hunt was led by the police. The action was based upon a law. Addition to police, hunt was participated by Large Game Executive Assistance-persons, in direct order by police.

During the week there had been several sightings of the wolf in a populous area of Lieto. The individual had been wandering around during Saturday in yards of apartment buildings, jogging tracks and been as close as 5 meters from a person. During the daytime aforementioned area had lots of people moving around with children and pets.

The area in which the wolf was shot was limited by the police inside of roads 110, Helsinki motorway, and the population centers of Runko and Makarla. If the wolf would have left the area the hunt would have been stopped. The animal was circling around in the limited area during the whole 3 hour period the hunt took.

The natural behavior of a wild animal and thus well being is avoiding humans or his settlements. The police reminds that sedating, capturing, handling, banishing or relocating a large predator is always very difficult. Banishing has been tried in the Varsinais-Suomi region with little or not effect.

Preliminary exam by the veterinarian revealed that the individual was thin and seem to suffer from a mange and the risk of rabies must be taken in to account.  These things will be ascertained by the Evira.

A large predator or another wild animal that comes and stays in populated areas is always  causing safety risk of some level. Safety risk posed by predators in populated areas is a threat that falls under state's responsibilities.

Police has to make situation and value assessment in the field and their actions have to reflect the true nature of the situation and it can't cause more damage of threat than the situation at hand.

The police reminds in their bulletin that the decisions made by the police can be questioned, but it is inappropriate to defame or threaten people giving assistance to the police.

According to the police, in this situation safety and well being of humans was considered higher priority based on the behavior and the condition of the animal.

Translated from an article of Turun Sanomat by Niina Perkkiö

Original article in Finnish: http://www.ts.fi/uutiset/turun+seutu/855791/Poliisi+Hairikkosuden+kaato+Piikkiossa+johtanut+uhkailuihin