– It is clear that we are easy. We are always worried when we know there are wolves in the area that have not been taken out, at least when it comes to bitches with litters, says Andreas Wiese. He runs sheep and goats in Luster in Sogn. Vestland is a so-called grazing priority area. This means that there is a low threshold for taking out wolverines if there is a risk that they will come to take grazing animals. Recently, a female wolf with a cub was euthanized in the area, as part of an extraordinary removal. Wiese says there is unrest in the area linked to wolverines and the loss of animals. It is common for wolverines to be taken out in the area. – It has been a long period where we have had injuries all the time, and some quite serious injuries as well. Unfortunately, this has been part of everyday life. Andreas Wiese is a sheep and goat farmer in Luster. He has lost several animals to the wolf. Photo: Arne Rebni Øvreås Area for wolverines The last time wolverines were killed in Western Norway was last spring and all in Luster municipality. A den of a female wolverine with 3 cubs was carried out in March, in addition to the felling of a male wolverine in April. Another male wolverine was felled on license suspension in January. Rein Arne Golf in the State Nature Inspectorate (SNO) says the area is a known area for wolverines. – It was earlier in our confirmed breeding of wolverines in Mørkridsdalen. It is a known breeding area for wolverines, says Golf. Earlier this spring, a male wolverine was killed in Årdal. SNO collects excrement and takes DNA samples. – They show that there are probably more jervars, but it is roughly at the level we usually see every year. In fact, it is perhaps somewhat less both last year and this year, says Golf. He does not think there will be such big challenges for the grazing industry in the summer. Critical of culling The Norwegian Nature Conservation Union is critical of the practice that all wolverines that enter predator region 1 (West Norway) are euthanized. – The wolverine is a highly threatened species in Norwegian nature. It is protected and we have a special international responsibility because a large part of Europe’s total population of wolverines lives in Norway, says specialist Arnodd Håpnes. The Nature Conservation Association points out that since 2005, almost 60 wolverines have been shot in predatory region 1. – The wolverine is a naturally occurring and ecologically important species in forest, mountain forest and high mountain ecosystems – and the species definitely belongs in the Westland nature. Registered 45 coal in 2022 A total of 90 jervars have been felled in Norway since 1 June 2022, according to the Norwegian Environment Agency. Recently sent Rovdata’s annual letter to the Norwegian Environment Agency where they summarize the population status for lynx, wolverines, brown bears and wolves. In 2022, 45 wolverine litters were registered, which was a decrease of 15 litters compared to the previous year. – The population is nevertheless above the national population target of 39 annual wolverine cubs that the Storting has decided, Jonas Kindberg, head of Rovdata, in a press release. Five of the documented coals were removed by so-called hill extraction. Last year there was a marked decrease in the number of detected wolverines in the country – compared to the previous year. Works locally Andreas Wiese is also a mayoral candidate for the Center Party in Luster. He says the municipality is continuously working to manage the grazing priority zone. For Luster municipality, the field industry is a large industry with economic significance not only for the farmers, but also for the municipality, he points out. – Production of meat and milk in open fields is probably one of the most sustainable things we can do. – How do they view the grazing season now? – Now we can breathe a little easier.
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Three jervars shot in Sogn – sheep farmers breathe a sigh of relief – news Vestland
