Most of the Storting stops the expansion of the wolf zone – NRK Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio

The so-called Elgå wolf in Hedmark is a Finnish-Russian wolf,

which is genetically important.

Lately, it has moved out of the wolf zone. Therefore, there is a possibility that it may be triggered as part of ordinary license logging.

The predator hunting committees of the former counties of Hedmark, Oslo, Akershus and Østfold have therefore proposed that the area be expanded so that this wolf cannot be killed.

The proposal provoked strong reactions from local politicians.

and the Center Party demanded urgent treatment at the Storting. The case arises on Friday.

The Labor Party had a group meeting on the issue today.

– We have now established the cabinet and declared that only the Storting has a chance to make changes in the wolf zone, says Storting representative Nils Kristen Sandtrøen from the Labor Party.

Storting majority against the expansion of the wolf zone

The decision in the Labor Party group is unanimous. At the same time, it is clear that both Sp and Frp support the main content of the proposal. Therefore, there will be a solid majority in the Storting.

– This means that we stop this expansion of the wolf zone and make sure that the license hunt can be carried out according to previous decisions in the Storting, says Sandtrøen.

He believes that the Storting will now emphasize that the protection of individual wolves cannot take place by changing national politics and democratic decisions.

– I do not understand that this proposal has come up at all, says the representative of the Storting, Morten Ørsal Johansen (Frp).

Q and FRP: – Not binding enough

The decision of the Labor Party group meeting states that the Storting must immediately follow up that “areas outside the wolf zone will not be allowed to be exempt from licenses.”

However, Sp and Frp believe that the Labor Party’s formulations are not binding enough.

– We believe that the formulations are too non-binding and will have a crystal clear decision that does not allow reinterpretations of the Minister of the Environment, says the representative of Storting, Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp).

It considers that it is urgent to implement this and that, therefore, the decision must be formulated to avoid delays.

The Minister of Climate and Environment, Sveinung Rotevatn (V), rejects that what has happened now is undemocratic.

– It is an important part of the predator settlement that these wolves must be protected. If we protect this type of wolf, the trunk does not have to be so big.

It says that otherwise the trunk must be larger to avoid inbreeding.

– It will be a strange outcome, and I hope it does not get a majority.

Rotevatn also believes that this is a buffer zone and not an extension of the predator zone.

– What I have done is defend the decisions of the predatory hunting committees.

– The political debate is absurd

The Noah organization has previously provided full support to the environmental stewardship assessment.

– We react strongly to politicians, led by SP, who make noise about attempts to protect genetically important wolves. Under the Berne Convention, it is a duty to take action for species that are critically endangered, says Noah leader Siri Martinsen.

She calls the political debate “absurd”, and that there is a politically one-sided focus on a critically endangered species as a “problem.”

– This is despite the fact that more than 80 percent of the population believes that it is Norway’s duty to ensure that no animal in the Norwegian wilderness is threatened.

Famous wolf

The Russian-Finnish male wolf has become known through various news. He attracted special attention when he was stunned last year and transported 300 km by helicopter. It happened on the stretch Elgå in Engerdal to Kongsvinger south of Hedmark. He returned to Engerdal, however

After a few months, the enduring wolf was back at Kongsvinger.