Sweden’s annual bear hunt begins today: 20% of bear population to be killed

The Swedish government has issued licences to kill 20% of its brown bear population in this year’s bear hunt, despite protests from conservationists.

Officials in Sweden have granted licences for the culling of just under 500 brown bears in the country. According to official figures, this equates to around 20% of its total population and will reduce the number of brown bears in Sweden to approximately 2,000. This represents a reduction of almost 40% since 2008.

Brown Bears Were Hunted Almost to Extinction Last Century

The 1920s brought the brown bear to the brink of extinction in Sweden. However, the population recovered thanks to careful conservation efforts, reaching a peak of 3,300 in 2008. This upward trend has come to a sudden end over the last five years though, with an increasing number of bears being killed. Last year, a record-breaking 722 bears were hunted. 

This year, 486 licences to shoot bears have been issued. This doesn’t reflect the real number of bears killed each year, though, as an indeterminate number of bears could be shot in areas where they’re deemed to be a threat to farm animals.

Concerns about the impact of hunting in Europe are widespread, with hunting in Mallorca causing concern for local residents.

Power Is in the Hands of the Hunters

The balance of power tipped towards hunters in 2022 when a new law gave local hunting associations more power to oversee the management of large predators like bears. The culls of lynxes, wolves, and bears in recent years have been the upshot of this law.

The spokesperson for the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, Magnus Rydholm, said: “We are only following the directive of the Swedish government’s wildlife policy. It is all about a balance between humans and the large predators. That’s why the bear hunt starts tomorrow.”

Conservationists Claim Hunt is Against EU Law

Brown bears are classed as a “strictly protected species” in Europe. Conservationists argue that the high numbers of licences issued constitutes a breach of the EU habitat directive, which states that: “deliberate hunting or killing of strictly protected species is prohibited”. EU rules allow for exceptions as a “last resort”, in cases of protecting public safety, crops, or natural flora or fauna.

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency considers a population of 1,400 brown bears necessary to maintain a viable population. If hunting continues at the same rate, the country will only be one annual hunt away from hitting that minimum number.

The Economic Impact of Hunting Licences

The Game Management Fund in Sweden makes around 60 million SEK (7 million euros) per year from issuing hunting licences. Conservationists argue that a lot more money could be raised by making Sweden a more appealing destination for ecological tourism. 

However, Sweden’s policy is bound to have other economic consequences as it turns its back on its native fauna. T_Cursons commented on X: “Just cancelled my trip to Sweden this autumn, cannot visit a nation that will kill 500 Brown bears this year!” 

Your Say

What do you think about hunting animals like bears, wolves, and lynxes? Is it justifiable to protect livestock, or is it a cynical way of raising money? Leave us a comment below!