Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
Wolves and humans have shared the planet for millennia. But in the last few decades we seem to have run out of space. How did that happen? Human species keeps growing, expanding and taking over territories of other species, leaving them with no home. When wildlife, especially predators, are seen close to the areas now overtaken by humans, they are usually killed, seen as enemy. Most often labeled as a threat, as "an individual with something wrong with it as they wandered too close to humans". They have as much right to exist on this planet as we do. I wish we could coexist with these magnificent creatures and not drive them to extinction. I wish more people would see the wolves as incredible as they truly are and not believe in irrational, brainwashing statements of wolf haters who would like to see wolves gone. Completely. Eradicated. Extinct.
Minnesota has most wolves in the lower 48 states of the United States. Wolves have not been legally hunted there for over ten years and are federally protected as threatened species. (Sadly, this will most likely change under the current president.) Right now, around 3000 gray wolves live in the state of Minnesota vs for example 300 individual wolves in the entire country of Finland. Finland is 64% larger, with more forests and uninhabited areas. Also, human population in Finland is just under that of Minnesota. (5.5 million vs 5.7 million). As a Finnish citizen who was born and raised in Finland, I travel there yearly and follow the wildlife/nature closely, therefore the following:
Wolves are critically endangered in Finland but are hunted regardless of EU directive that strictly protects wolves in all EU member states. In 2024 Finland downgraded this protective status to "allow more flexible conservation status and wolf hunting to manage the wolf population." The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is again allowing to kill 28 wolves yearly OUTSIDE of the reindeer husbandry areas and double that number with exemption permits IN LAPLAND where reindeer are raised for human consumption. Also, poaching continues to be prevalent in Finland. There are about 200 000 reindeer in Finland vs 300 wolves. Needless to say, the wolf population is fast declining and the future for gray wolves is extremely bleak in the country for its natives, the gray wolves.
"This isn't a wolf problem. It's a human problem." - Dr. David Mech (International Wolf Center)
Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
Wolves and humans have shared the planet for millennia. But in the last few decades we seem to have run out of space. How did that happen? Human species keeps growing, expanding and taking over territories of other species, leaving them with no home. When wildlife, especially predators, are seen close to the areas now overtaken by humans, they are usually killed, seen as enemy. Most often labeled as a threat, as "an individual with something wrong with it as they wandered too close to humans". They have as much right to exist on this planet as we do. I wish we could coexist with these magnificent creatures and not drive them to extinction. I wish more people would see the wolves as incredible as they truly are and not believe in irrational, brainwashing statements of wolf haters who would like to see wolves gone. Completely. Eradicated. Extinct.
Minnesota has most wolves in the lower 48 states of the United States. Wolves have not been legally hunted there for over ten years and are federally protected as threatened species. (Sadly, this will most likely change under the current president.) Right now, around 3000 gray wolves live in the state of Minnesota vs for example 300 individual wolves in the entire country of Finland. Finland is 64% larger, with more forests and uninhabited areas. Also, human population in Finland is just under that of Minnesota. (5.5 million vs 5.7 million). As a Finnish citizen who was born and raised in Finland, I travel there yearly and follow the wildlife/nature closely, therefore the following:
Wolves are critically endangered in Finland but are hunted regardless of EU directive that strictly protects wolves in all EU member states. In 2024 Finland downgraded this protective status to "allow more flexible conservation status and wolf hunting to manage the wolf population." The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is again allowing to kill 28 wolves yearly OUTSIDE of the reindeer husbandry areas and double that number with exemption permits IN LAPLAND where reindeer are raised for human consumption. Also, poaching continues to be prevalent in Finland. There are about 200 000 reindeer in Finland vs 300 wolves. Needless to say, the wolf population is fast declining and the future for gray wolves is extremely bleak in the country for its natives, the gray wolves.
"This isn't a wolf problem. It's a human problem." - Dr. David Mech (International Wolf Center)