Up in the strawberry village of Valldal, Hans Martin Gjedrem lives, together with the many sheep and lambs he owns. But his flock is getting smaller and smaller. – It is a desperate situation. We are starting to get used to it, but it wears more and more on motivation and it creates frustration, says the farmer. Gjedrem says that this year he has lost three sheep and 38 lambs to wild game. In recent years, he and several sheep farmers in the area have experienced a large increase in animals taken by wolves. The Storting has decided that the population target for wolverines in the country should be 39. But this year, many more wolverine litters have been born, namely 64. – It is difficult to see that the industry we run is being so damaged by a lack of understanding from those who manages the predator policy, says Gjedrem. – What is needed is that those who control and manage the wolverine population do their job, so that we reach the population target. It has to be done, says sheep farmer Hans Martin Gjedrem. Photo: Øyvind Berge Sæbjørnsen / news I don’t think the state is doing its job. Every summer the sheep are slaughtered in the grazing area above Gjedrem’s farm. But fewer and fewer come down to the farm. – As it is now, it is not pleasant. We are more into searching for carcasses than looking after the animals, says the sheep farmer. He says that as it is now, the farmers are almost forced to give up. – We cannot continue with around 30 per cent loss to predators. But at the same time, I don’t want to kneel because people are not doing their job in the administration, says Gjedrem. The farmers have documented several of the killed sheep they have found: – The wolverine tore them almost whole in the mountain, says sheep farmer Kristian Indreeide in Eidsdal. His garden has been in operation for several generations. He claims that seven years ago they had no problem with the predator. But in 2017, the wolverine took its foray into the area in earnest. Kristian Indreeide has brought many carcasses down from the mountain this year. Now he demands that the state take responsibility. Photo: Øyvind Berge Sæbjørnsen / news – We are far above what we should be in stock targets, but nothing is happening. It is a difficult situation. In Møre and Romsdal and Trøndelag, the Storting has decided that the population target for wolverines should be 10, but this year the reality is 16 wolverines. Indreeide believes that the State Nature Inspectorate (SNO) must get on track. Fear of the consequences – It has been very bad. The farmers characterize the situation as catastrophic, says Audun Skjervøy. He is deputy leader of the Møre og Romsdal farmers’ association, and in addition is responsible for predators in the farmers’ association. He also agrees that SNO must take action. – They have several tools available, and can also hunt in periods where it is difficult for the amateur hunters. Audun Skjervøy is deputy head of the Møre og Romsdal farming association and responsible for predators in the farming association. He says several farmers are frustrated. Photo: ØYVIND BERGE SÆBJØRNSEN / news Skjervøy has close contact with the farmers, and is afraid of what the increasing population of wolverines will have. – We need a living and viable agricultural environment. We have no farmers to lose. Grazing is an important part of agriculture in parts of Møre and Romsdal county. He points the finger at the government, and demands that they take responsibility for killing more wolves. – We have a predator settlement in the Storting, according to which the felling will take place. It turns out that the way that has been tried to bring the stock down to the right level until now is not sufficient. It is simply lacking. Demanding felling State Secretary in the Ministry of Climate and Environment, Kjersti Bjørnstad, wrote in an e-mail that she understands the burden this has on farmers. Kjersti Bjørnstad, State Secretary in the Ministry of Climate and Environment. Photo: TROND ISAKSEN / © PHOTO TROND ISAKSEN Furthermore, it is stated that it is demanding to get the population of wolverines as close to the population target as possible. Bjørnstad writes that license cancellations have improved in some areas, but that they have not succeeded well enough overall. – Until the license cancellation becomes more effective, the Norwegian Environment Agency will continuously monitor the wolverine registrations throughout the winter and spring. I have also asked the Norwegian Environment Agency to quickly assess the need for the implementation of so-called extraordinary removals of wolverines under the auspices of the State Nature Inspectorate, she wrote in an e-mail. Full answers from the Ministry of Climate and the Environment – What do they think of the population target for wolverines not being met? “It is always regrettable when grazing animals are lost, and I understand the strain this is on animal owners. Almost all of the proven injuries in Møre and Romsdal this year have occurred within the area the predatory game board has prioritized for wolverines. It is therefore also important that the sheep owners have a dialogue with the state administrator to look at the possibilities for implementing further preventive measures. The Storting’s predatory game agreement states that the grazing industry must adapt to the presence of predatory game in predator-priority areas. In its management plan, the Wild Game Board has laid down guidelines that in wolverine priority areas, effective loss prevention measures must be invested in, says State Secretary Kjersti Bjørnstad in the Ministry of Climate and Environment. – Are they doing anything to bring the wolverine population down to the population target? What? “The government’s aim is for the population of wolverines to be as close to the population target as possible. It is demanding. Licensing has been more effective in some areas, but we have not succeeded well enough in everything. We believe that, among other things, an extended license cancellation period, increased exchange of experience between the various wolverine priority areas and increased course activities will contribute to us getting closer to the population target for wolverines in all wolverine priority areas, says State Secretary Kjersti Bjørnstad in the Ministry of Climate and Environment, says Bjørnstad. – The farmers point out that what is being done now is clearly not working, what would and can they do differently to get more wolves felled and bring the population down to the target? “Both nationally and in Central Norway, the wolverine population is larger than the population target. Until the license suspension becomes more effective, the Norwegian Environment Agency will continuously monitor the wolverine registrations throughout the winter and spring. I have also asked the Norwegian Environment Agency to quickly assess the need for carrying out so-called extraordinary removals of wolverines under the auspices of the Norwegian Nature Inspectorate. The Predator Board in Mid-Norway has chosen a division where 3 annual litters of wolverines are to be obtained in what they have defined as a wolverine priority area in parts of Møre and Romsdal. Updated population figures from Rovdata show that this year two broods have been detected in Møre and Romsdal. This is below the stock target the predatory game board has set for the wolverine zone in Møre and Romsdal, something that must also be taken into account in assessments of extraction, says Bjørnstad. Hans Martin Gjedrem’s sheep barn may end up without sheep – if the government does not take action and reduce the wolverine population. Photo: Øyvind Berge Sæbjørnsen / news Willing to continue as a farmer – When the development is as it is now, action must be taken. That is the least we can expect, says the sheep farmer in Valldal. Gjedrem believes the state is more concerned with killing wolves and bears than wolverines. And if they don’t soon take action to maintain the population target they have set, he fears he will have to give up. – I don’t want to, but there is something called common sense. How long can you operate as you do now, he says.
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Sheep farmers frustrated that wolverines take sheep in Møre og Romsdal – demand that the population decline – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
