Conservation experts criticize the Swedish government over plans to hunt over 200 lynxes in March.
Sweden has authorized hunters to kill a total of 201 lynxes just weeks after dozens of wolves were killed in the largest culling in modern Swedish history. The number of lynx hunting permits issued by the Swedish government in March 2023 is more than double that of recent years. Conservation experts and wildlife activists are calling on the European Union to take action due to Sweden’s violation of environmental laws, the Guardian reports.
Swedish hunters often use dogs to hunt lynxes. (Photo: Alamy)
“This is trophy hunting, similar to going to Africa to hunt lions,” said Magnus Orrebrant, head of the Swedish Predator Association, an animal rights organization advocating for a stop to lynx hunting. “Hundreds of foreign hunters come to Sweden to hunt lynxes because they find it exciting.”
Last month, conservation experts warned that lynx populations in Europe could collapse unless protective measures are implemented. Assessments of remaining lynxes in France showed that their genetic diversity is so low that they could become extinct at a local scale within the next 30 years without intervention.
There are approximately 1,450 lynxes across Sweden, which is 300 fewer than a decade ago. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Naturvårdsverket, emphasized that the country only needs 870 lynxes to maintain a healthy population. Svenska Jägareförbundet, the Swedish Hunters Association, acknowledged that lynxes do not pose a threat to humans. “Hunting is not related to any threat to humans. The same goes for wolf hunting; we have not recorded any cases of wolves attacking people in modern Sweden. Lynx hunting mainly provides enjoyment, and of course for some hunters, the fur is a motivating factor,” shared Henrik Falk, a consultant for the association.
Lynxes are distributed across the Eurasian continent but face significant pressures in many countries due to habitat loss, inbreeding, poaching, and vehicle collisions. In the UK, Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey called for the reintroduction of lynxes into the wild last month. Conservation experts state that lynxes help control populations of deer, elk, and wild boar in Sweden. The lynx hunting season occurs during their breeding season when their fur is thickest, making this activity particularly appealing to hunters, according to Marie Stegard Lind from the anti-hunting organization Jaktkritikerna.
