In 2018, there was a crisis in the agricultural municipalities of Tolga, Tynset and Rendalen. 80 people mobilized to look for sheep after many hundreds of carcasses had been found following a wolf attack The despair was enormous in the district with large grazing areas, and the then environment minister Ola Elvesveen (V) came on a crisis visit to Nord-Østerdal. Ugly figures Several municipalities in Nord-Østerdal have been the purest paradise for all predators in recent years. This has meant large sheep losses and desperate farmers. And the years after 2018 have not been pleasant either, although it has varied which of the three municipalities has been pressured. The statistics the State Administrator has found for news Predator losses From the period 20 May to 21 July 2019, 19 sheep were documented killed by predators in the municipalities of Tolga, Tynset and Rendalen. The following year the number rose to 25 and last year it was documented that 35 sheep were taken by predators. The wolf and the bear have taken the most sheep in total But this year something has happened. Not a single sheep has so far been taken by a wolf or bear. There are only two sheep killed in Tolga, by wolverines and golden eagles. In Tynset, a sheep has been taken from a wolverine, and a felling permit has been granted for this. No injuries have been reported in Rendalen. – It’s something random, but not just, says adviser at the agricultural office in Alvdal and Tynset Ole Sylte Heggset. After the bloody year 2018, specialized dogs were put into use that run loose and get loose. PROJECT: Councilor ole Heggset Sylte believes the dog project has reduced predator damage. Photo: Geir Olav Slåen / news – There has been a great improvement in efficiency. Before, we spent an average of 3,000 hours to trap a wolf. Now it has happened in less than half an hour after the hunters have been on the trail of the dog. In Nord-Østerdal, they have hired two specialized dogs from Sweden in addition to training their own. Tracks disappear Permission has been granted to use stray dogs, although it is disputed because some believe it stresses the wolf unnecessarily. Heggset disagrees with that. Sylte says that rapid felling means that the predators do not have time to do much damage. But it can also have long-term effects. Wolves mark territories when they enter an area, and they followed the same routes for several years. – But when they are taken out quickly, they also do not manage to leave as hard tracks as wolves can follow next year. This allows them to take new routes, says Heggset. He believes there could have been twice as many sheep farmers in Rendalen if stray dogs had been used in 2018. Because after many years of wear and tear, many gave up. Crucial for the future CRUCIAL: Mayor Bjørnar Tollan Jordet (SV) believes the project of using dogs to catch pests is crucial for the future of agriculture. Photo: Geir Olav Slåen / news Mayor Bjørnar Tollan Jordet (SV) in Tolga says the project is crucial for there to continue to be a vibrant agriculture in Nord-Østerdal. – We were in a situation for several years where the sheep were released into the mountains and you had no idea how it would go. It was a huge load and we saw a decrease in the number of uses. Tollan Jordet says that the situation is now completely different, that the farmers have confidence in this project and can release the sheep into the mountains with a clear conscience. – The project is a big reason why we are where we are now. But not everyone has the same reason to be happy in the predator county of the Inland. The number of injuries in the period 20 May to 21 July has increased overall from last year. Then 181 injuries were documented in the period, compared to 209 this summer. The main reason for the increase is wolves, which have taken over 61 sheep in Løten, Stange and Nord-Odal.
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No predator damage in Tolga, Tynset and Rendalen this year – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
