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Wolves have been called into Västra Götaland on several occasions recently.
In September, the Västra Götaland county administrative board confirmed that it was a wolf that had run through the center of Gothenburg, and in mid-February several reports of wolves came in northeast Gothenburg and the predator was also captured in the picture. when he wandered through the Gårdsten row houses area.
None of these incidents are linked however, to the territory of wolves that has been recently documented in the Ulricehamn area. It is about two wolves that go in pairs and have a behavior that shows that they mark territory.
Through traces of DNA, urine and feces, the county administrative board has been able to determine the origin of the pair of wolves.
– We know they come from something called Tiveden district, which is mainly in Örebro county but is also in Västra Götaland county, says Anita Bergstedt, head of the County Administrative Board’s wildlife unit.
The DNA responses also show that the wolf pair are siblings. It’s unfortunate, says Anita Bergstedt, because it’s better if it’s not inbred.
– They are descendants of an immigrant wolf that, therefore, carries new genes for the Scandinavian tribe. They have a set of genes that will mix up the otherwise fairly inbred Scandinavian wolf population, and then it’s a bit unfortunate that they pair up with each other. It would have been better if they found other partners of Scandinavian origin.
Wolf in the zone is nothing Again, but in the past these were occasional wolves that have passed. Now the wolves will no longer migrate, but will remain in the area and, in all likelihood, will produce cubs.
– Puppies usually appear when they form pairs and stay in the same place. And the difference with before is that in the future you know that there will be wolves in the area throughout the year, says Anita Bergstedt.
The expansion of the wolf population, he continues, is a natural consequence of the 2013 political decisions, which say that Sweden should have a viable wolf population.
– This policy is also based on the fact that they spread in their natural area and that there are also wolf territories in the south of the country, says Anita Bergstedt.
And it is not only in the Ulricehamn area that a territory has recently been documented, the same happened recently even further south. In mid-February, the county administrative board was able to establish that Skåne had its first wolf territory in modern times. It is not yet known exactly how large the territory is, but wolves have been sighted in several places in Österlen.
According to Anita Bergstedt, a disadvantage of the territories further south is that there are more herds of domestic animals in these areas.
– The risk of conflict with domestic animals increases. The more pets there are, the greater the risk that a wolf will run into and attack them, he says.
The message for anxious sheep owners and others Pet owners are checking their fences around herds to prevent wolves from entering the pets.
– The policy is as is and therefore it is very important that you adapt and get enough with your fencing to avoid attacks on domestic animals, says Anita Bergstedt.
Read more: “Clean the gottebordet” – now the sheep farmer’s pastures are in the middle of a wolf territory
