Wolf Howl

Words of Wisdom

2010-06-30T09:54:00.003+02:00

Raven Calls - Come Journey!

I run with Wolves, swim with Whales and fly with Eagles.

We see the ONE EARTH NO BORDERS NO BOUNDARIES NO FEAR - ONLY LOVE .

The Wolves howl, The Whales sing and the Eagle soars even Higher.

Higher Friends, Higher still.

Rise beyond Fear ~ Allow Love to rule.

I bow my head in prayer for All who have been Silenced.

I wil sing and sing for You always!

By: "Journeys of the Wolf"

Happy Whaooolentine!

2010-02-13T20:38:00.005+01:00

... and understood and accepted

That is the Wolf Howl Blog´s Valentine´s wish for all the wolves around the world!

The Wolves

2010-02-11T15:00:00.001+01:00

Share this beautiful video with all your friends. The Wolf - the beautiful, majestic and wise creature needs our help to survive.

Please help to prevent wolves from extiction. Take actions - join causes, environmental organisations, wolf support groups, donate, adopt wolves, sign petitions, send letters to your local authorities and governments.

The wolves are critically endangered globally. They need all our help!

The Assassinations in Lapland (Scandinavia)

2010-02-10T22:14:00.001+01:00

This is a story of what they do to wolves and other predators in Lapland - the land of the reindeer herds.

They kill any animals, that get within reach of their reindeer herds, whom they have as means of business, and transport thousands of them each year to slaughter houses, often in unadequately small trailer with not enough space for the animals to rest, while travelling hundreds of kilometers to the slaughter houses.

"Reindeer owners seldom tell you how many reindeer he has. If you ask, they'll probably ask you to tell him of the size of your own bank account. " - information on one Lapland travel info guide.

When I first came into close contact with their reindeer-culture, I was shocked. I visited the Swedish museum in Ostersund, called Jamtli. There they have on display a lot from the Saami culture. Including a TV documentary about the "herding" of reindeer. I sat down to watch and was shocked to see a ritual in which they chase the reindeers in a corral, lasoo a selected one and cut it´s throat, leaving it to die slowly in stress, bleeding to death. This was among it´s herd memebers, and dozens of people watched the show. It wasn´t in the 1800s, it was NOW. There were snowmobiles standing by.
A middle age brutal and heartless slaughter, which one is used to knowing from the movies, or from the barbaristic practices of some primitive tribes or sects.

Few years later, I found out there was a "wild" slaughter house in the area, to which we moved. I heared a lot of terrible stories from the locals, including the veterinarians, who work there as meat hygiene and disease inspection. The different Saami people who bring in their herds to be slaughtered, fight with each other with knifes, threattening each other and the staff. I heared whole "mafias" fight who will get better price for their meat and whose bigger herds will be accepted at the slaughterhouses.

So much for the romantic image of the natural life in harmony...

I´ve been also told to be careful about my dogs. If they ever get lose or run away, and happen to get near a reindeer herd, they are very likely to get shot by the Saami herders/owners, without even letting you know or asking you to go get them back.

They simply have a power which they sure know how to use. No one, including the Swedish government, dares to get in conflict with them.

I thought it was a bit exaggerated then. But since then, I read enough news in the pappers, about dogs killed, because they got too close to the herds, which roam freely the woods all over the country, and who even have the right to roam over your own forrest. These herds are of course domesticated livestock, not wild caribou.

I also read stories about the Saami killing wolverine, although this nordic predator is extremly protected and absolutley forbidden to hunt, as it is severly threattened with extinction.

But for the Saami reindeer herders, there is no respect for the nature and wildlife. It is all about their reindeer business. They think they can take the law in their hands, and apparently there hasn´t been anyone in the Scandinavian countries, to stand up to them and take the same measures for them as for other residents.

If a wolf or a wolverine is killed illegally, you end up in jail. If a Saami kills a wolf or wolverine, it´s a protective measure.

If the government does not start facing this problem, the wildlife and especially the threattened species will dissapear in Scandinavia faster, than anyone can imagine.

All, and all, I´ve known about this "tabu" problem for a while. But the article I came across today upset me extremly. It shows and proves how so many wild predators are treated - with no respect and by hate and unacceptance driven motives. They are executed by barbarian, unethical means.

The article writes about a wolverine female, disturbed from her den, where she had pupps. Chased for miles by three men on snowmobiles, then ran over several times, as they enjoyed the show of her dieing slowly in pain, as her spine and ribs were broken, before they finally killed her.

The other story tells about a wolf pair brutally and cruelly killed in 2003, wrapped in ropes and plastic, and put in the Holy River in Finnish Lapland. It is a primitve old act to show "despise" and bring shame on the murdered ones.

This is what they do to wolves in Scandinavian Lapland. Photo from the article "Assassinations in Lapland"

All this done by Saami people of the Finnish Lapland. Here is a link to the original article, called "The Assassinations in Lapland": http://blogit.yleradio1.yle.fi/kirsivirtanen/salamurhia_lapissa.

Please, help to stop this unaceptable behaviour and nonsence executions of wild predators in Europe´s last remaining wilderness areas in the Nordic countries of Finland, Sweden and Norway.

Write letters to the government, sign petitions, join environmental groups and organisations. You can also help by donating to support the conservational efforts of various organisations. Even spreading the word and sharing the information with your friends helps a great deal.

Swedish minister wants to import new wolves - After he killed many

2010-02-10T15:06:00.011+01:00

Now the information about plans of importing new wolves to Sweden starts to spread through the media.

Despite the minister´s of environment spreading of lies abroad the country, the Swedish wolves do not suffer as much genetically, as he stresses out. All wolves from the January cull have been examined in the University of Uppsala and found to be perfectly healthy, without genetic anomalities, and to be good specimen.

Genetically healthy wolves were killed.

The 2010 cull was no more than a slaughter initiated by a huge hunting lobby, paid by big money. There are many articles, press releases and proofs for that.

Genetically important wolves were killed not only during the culling slaughter, but also in so called "protective" hunt, when they were apparently spotted close to reindeer herds, etc., and also fallen victim to the so called "poaching" hunt, performed commonly in Sweden and Norway by hunters-wolf haters, who poison them, run them over by snowmachines, shoot them, drown them, etc. and make them "dissapear", especially if they were radio collared. (Please come back soon to read an article about the illegal wolf killing in Sweden and Norway, which is now in process).

There were some wolves with fresh (outcross) genes, from Russian and Finnish ancestry, but they were killed as well. There was no targeting of "only weak or sick individuals" to be killed. Alpha wolves were killed, including parents, orphaning a litter of puppies. A cull hunt of 27 wolves is not performed by 12000 horny rednecks, who don´t even know how to shoot a wolf, which was proven on dozens of photos from the hunt - many wolves were shot several times, before finally killed. Many wolves were injured and escaped, and had to be searched after for several days, left dieing in pain and agony. That is not a professional culling hunt.

New wolves, that will be imported, will end up the same way. And those not killed by aproval from authorities will be poisoned or killed otherwise illegally by hunters - wolf haters.

The reason why so many wolves from Russia and Finland never made it to the Swedish strain, and thus why the Swedish wolf population never got a chance to grow "fresher" genetically, is because they never made their journeys through Lapland and Jamtland (the only transition areas to travel through from Finland or Russia to Sweden and Norway) - being illegally killed by the reindeer herders or trophy illegal hunters.

This is a closed circle and will not get solved unless the Swedish government finally starts facing truth and sovling the large issues of intollerance and unacceptance of wolves, among minority, special interest groups of people.

Effective programs need to be applied to keep wolves out of harm´s way, if we want to see a healthy wolf strain striving and growing in Sweden, Norway, but also Finland.

After he had ordered over 30 wolves to be killed in 2010 (27 in the "cull" hunt, and 12 more in so called "protective" hunt), the Swedish minister of environment plans to have as many as 60 more wolves killed by a cull hunt in 2011, including whole litters born during this comming spring.

This is totally senceless and absolutly unaceptable! We cannot allow that to happen and to let this unethical man continue with this bloody work!

Please consider following this blog, for more updates on the wolf situation worldwide, but with a major foccus on Sweden and Scandinavia, if you wanna learn more about what is really going on in Sweden.

Also, please read how you can help on the menu on the right side of the blog, where you will find links to many petitions and ideas how to take action.

Please write to the Swedish minister of environment and let him know what you think, and that you care about the wolves, the nature and the environment, and show your dissapointment and dissagreement with the recent, very bad deicsion:

Andreas Carlgren, Minister for the Environment

Tel. work: +46 8405 10 00

Email - via the senior registry clerk

Post address: Tegelbacken 2

103 33 Stockholm

SWEDEN

Entire Captive 12 Wolf Pack killed in Skane ZOO -- for NO reason

2010-02-10T11:20:00.002+01:00

Yesterday, while waiting for my delayed plane home, I listed through the freshest newspapers, in a search for the latest news on the wolf hunt issue in Sweden.

While I found none such information in Expressen, I came across an interesting short report from Guwahati, India. It concerned two tigers, that escaped their enclosure in the local ZOO.

"Panic spread immediatley", said the paper. Ten thousand visitors were in danger.

The Reuters agency (the news source) informed about a fast, professional act from the ZOO management and the tiger caretakers, whom took action without a single hesitation.

They tranquilized both predators and put them safely into a secure area. Done, simple.

Now, how does this story relate to the wolves in Sweden?

I am still in shock from the horrifying news outbroke exactly one week after the January 2-4th slaughter of 28 wolves during the legalized hunt. The news struck the whole country. The entire pack of 12 captive wolves, including puppies, was killed in Skane ZOO, after several wolves attempeted to escape.

The press, and later the park management, informed, that two adult wolves managed to break the fence of their enclosure and escaped. They were still on the ground of the animal park, when they were shot to death. The park management made a quick decision to kill the rest of the pack, including the puppies from the summer litter.

This news is as shocking as disturbing. The park management released an official statement, that it was the best decission they could do under the circumstances, as they had responsibility toward the park´s visitors! Part of the park was evacuated, before the wolves were killed.

The ZOO´s spokesman said to the press, that the wolves had to be killed as this was an extreme dangerous situation. On the other hand, he added that all visitors were evacuated and people were at minimal risk. These absolutley controversial statements prove the total incompetence of the park staff.

How rediculous is that??!!

I still don´t understand. I still can´t and never will understand the brutality, and the gutts to do such thing. What in the world is wrong in Sweden?! Every ZOO and wild animal park has tranquilizing guns and their employees must know how to use it. There have been escapes from many ZOOs all over the world, and by much bigger, more agressive and dangerous predators, than wolves are. And not just predators. So Why did the Skane park not use them??!!

Growing up in the neighbourhood of the Prague ZOO, and having a family member who actually worked there, I have many memories of such "adventures".

In one of them, I remember the escape of a fairly agressive monkey, who roamed through the streets of the rural city areas for couple of weeks, before she was found, tranquilized and transported back to safety, out of harm´s way.

It still strikes me on sleepless nights - what could possibly lead the park management to such heartless decission?!

Unfortunattley, I am afraid we´ll never find out. After all, it seems rather "ok" to many, and I was unpleasantly surprised that there was not a single investigation made. I very much doubt there ever will be. As usual, with an uncomfortable subject, this was all just swept under the table.

It is a logic built backwords. In Sweden, dare you to have your dogs in a kennel smaller than the department of agriculture rules tell, even by a few centimeteres. You face an inspection, your kennel might never be "aproved" and you might end up paying a financial fine.

But you can wipe out the entire, healthy wolf pack, kept in captivity, as you please. Apparently, without facing any problems with the law. To me, this is a double moral and also perhaps a proof, that this country needs much more refreshing in it´s laws, rules and regulations. They are confusing and absurd.

After all, this is just another example of how rules seldom comply with ethics.

While this terribly sad case never really became a "case" and is slowly dissapering in the history of "events", Skane ZOO is already planning to get new wolves.

While I searched on internet for information for this article, I came across older news, this time from Lycksele Animal Park, in the North part of Sweden. Few years ago, they also had an escape, in this case of three wolves. Two were killed, and one tranqilized and "left to live". That confuses me even more. There is an option to use the tranquilization gun, but yet the choice is seldom made.

A TV crew made an interview in Lycksele, shortly after the pack was killed in Skane. One of the Lycksele park´s managers told them: "we would act the same, if what happened in Skane, would happen here. We would shoot the wolves, if they escaped".

To read the complete article and also to watch the interview on the news, go to:
http://svt.se/2.33919/1.1842175/vargarna_skjuts_om_de_rymmer

While it is an obvious covering of back of each other, among the ZOO managements, I can´t help wondering what kind of people run these parks and why?!

So while in India, they CAN made a sensible, thoughtfull and human decision to keep the two tigers out of harm´s way, in the civilized country, told to be among the most developed, such as Sweden, they kill wolves who are not even any danger to anyone.

From my reasearch on the web, I came back with one very sad conclusion. It seems to be a common behaviour among Swedish ZOOs and Animal Parks.

And I will not visit anyone of those, treating their captive animals like that. If you wanna change the way things are, do not support them. Please spread the word. People have the right to know.

These three beautiful captive youngsters, will never be seen in Skane ZOO again. They lost their lives because of human incopetence, heartlessness, and lack of sense and sensibility.

The Captive 12 Wolf Pack of Skane ZOO, killed for NO REASON will never be forgotten. They will always be remembered together with their 28+ wild brothers and sisters, slaughtered just a few days before.

-----------------------

Media on the subject of the Killing of Skane Captive 12 Wolf Pack:

THE LOCAL - "Wolves Liquidated after Swedish ZOO escape"
http://www.thelocal.se/24302/20100110/ (in English)

AFTONBLADET - http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article6403568.ab (in Swedish)

SVT (Swedish National TV) - http://svt.se/2.33919/1.1842175/vargarna_skjuts_om_de_rymmer

-----------------------

If you would like things to improve for the animals, the nature and our environment, the only way is to step out of the silent crowd and do something. Let your voices and opinions be heared. Write letters to decision makers, sign petitions, spread the word. Do not remain passive, please.

Center (for Biological Diversity) Goes to Court for Mexican Gray Wolf

2010-02-04T23:11:00.010+01:00

Quoting the article from the Center for Biological Diversity news letter:

"Last week the Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its failure to act on our petition to grant the Mexican gray wolf its own place on the endangered species list. The Mexican wolf is distinct from other gray wolves and should be recognized as such with its own Endangered Species Act protections as an endangered subspecies or "distinct population segment." But the Mexican wolf is currently lumped together under the Act with gray wolves elsewhere in the country. And the Service has missed its November deadline to respond to the Center's petition from last summer to fix that.

Earning its own place on the endangered species list would require the development of a new Mexican wolf recovery plan -- which is crucial, since the current one is almost three decades old and contains no numeric population, distribution, or genetic diversity targets. It would also give better guidance for managing the sole existing wolf population -- which hovered at just 52 animals and two breeding pairs at the end of 2008."

KSWT News, January 27, 2010

Please read more here:

Feds sued again over Mexican gray wolf petitionBy The Associated Press

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2010/kswt-news-01-27-2010.html

Find out more about the Mexican Gray Wolf from the Center for Biological Diversity:

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/Mexican_gray_wolf/index.html

(many interesting links to facts, petitions, statistics, and more regarding the Mexican Gray Wolf)

Also please read this article:

http://howlingforjustice.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/bad-moon-rising-on-mexican-gray-wolves/

Learn about the Mexican Gray Wolf:

http://www.mexicanwolfeis.org/ (excellent educational source)

How You can Help - Take Action:

The Mexican Gray Wolves need a strong fight, based on law, paperwork and other acts. All this requires a fair amount of finances. One of the very cool ways to help is to

ADOPT A MEXICAN GRAY WOLF

Politika kontra Etika - Švédský Skandál (Politics contra Ethics - the Swedish Scandal)

2010-02-03T22:00:00.005+01:00

In my efforts to spread the word on what is happening to wolves around the globe (and mainly in Scandinavia), I wrote this following article, for several Czech newspapers, blogs and magazines.

This post is in Czech language. As time allows, I will translate it to English as well. It is my article on the licenced wolf hunt and the total scandal in Sweden.

Po 45 letech se Švédská vláda rozhodla vydat "licenci na zabití" a povolit lov vlků, kteří byli dosud chráněni. Švédsko sdílí svou vlčí populaci spolu se sousedním Norskem a před začátkem lovu čítala tato zhruba mezi 250-280 jedinci. Podle expertů je minimálním číslem pro zachování diversity a genetického zdraví populace, mezi 500-1000 kusy. Přesto, že jsou tedy vlci ve Švédsku silně "pod stavy" a vážně jim hrozí vyhubení, vydala vláda přes 12000 loveckých licencí a stanovila kvótu odstřelu 27 vlků (což je celých 10% celkové populace!).

Tento nesmylsný akt vyvolal obrovskou vlnu kritiky a rozhořčení ze stran obyvatelstva, všech hnutí a organizací pro ochranu přírody, ale i všech médií.
Vlna diskuzí neopadla, jak by se čekalo, ale naopak zesílila a na povrch začaly vyplouvat skutečnosti, které si jistě Švédská vláda za klobouk nedá.

Lov byl povolen od 2.1.2010 a měl být ukončen v únoru. To však nebylo třeba, neboť lovci předvedli dvoudenní brutální jatka a již 4.ledna byla kvóta "úspěšně" splněna, ba i překročena. Několik vlků bylo zraněno a následně ponecháno osudu, někteří byli dohledání až o několik dní později.
Bylo zavražděno něklik geneticky důležitých jedinů, a něklik alfa párů, jejižch osiřelá mláďata nyní bojují o přežití v letošní kruté zimě.

Ministr životního prostředí Andreas Carlgren neúspěšně omílá jako mantru, stále stejnou větu: "vlci ve Švédsku jsou zdegenerovaní, trpí genetickými poruchami v důsledku těžké příbuzenské plemenitby. Účeleme tohoto lovu je "vyčištění" od geneticky slabých jedinců".
Tato nesmyslá formule je však naprosto nepochopitelná pro experty na biologickou diverstiu a vlky, a i selský rozum nad tím zůstává stát. Pokud je totiž vlčí populace zdegenerovaná, znamená to jediné - populace je příliš malá a potřebuje rozšíření o nové jedine a tudíž geny.
Prvním skandálem se stala oficiální zpráva z Uppsalské university, kam byla těla zabitých vlků zaslána pro podbrobnou pitvu a testy. Zpráva zněla: "výsledek pitvy všech zaslaných 27 vlků prokázal, že všichni jedinci byli zdraví a byli dobrými specimeny (vzory svého druhu). Nevykazovali žádné známky genetických anomálií".

Tyto informace vyvolaly další vlnu kritiky a odporu a tak se na povrch začaly trousit další skandální zprávy.

Lov byl financován z fondu na zachování biologické diverzity, částkou kolem 4 milionů švédských korun. Toto je výsměch ekologii i daňovým poplatníkům.

Že šlo o lobby silné Švédské lovecké asociace, není nic překvapivého.
Asociace například zaplatitla vloni Švédské vládě 21,6 milionů švédských korun (přes 50milionů Kč) na výzkum přírody. Z většiny těchto peněz jsou financovány různé projekty a přírodní výzkumy. Proto není divu, že lovci chtějí za své poplatky něco zpět - licenci k zabíjení. Toto a mnoho dalších skutečností svědčí o tom, že se jedná o zaplacený lov za účelem získání trofejí, a tzv. nenávistí motivovaný lov.

Celý skandál ještě rozvětřil švédský denínk DN, který zveřejnil reportáž o loveckém vládním klubu, který má střelnici ve sklepních prostorách Švédského parlamentu v centru Stockholmu. Dle reportáže a interview s vedoucím klubu si sem vládní představitelé chodí v pracovní době zastřílet.

Švédská vláda a její skandální rozhodnutí bylo nahlášeno v důsledku porušení některých nařízení EU pro lov ohrožených druhů organizacemi SRF (Švédská asociace šelem), SNSF (Švédská asociace ochrany přírody) a zástupci švédské pobočky WWF komisi Evropské Unie. Nyní se čeká na její rozhodnutí.

Toto není samozřejmě první akt špinavé politiky proti životnímu prostředí. Svědčí to i o tom, že nejen v České Republice máme vládní a politické skandály a korupci.

Životní prostředí a naše planeta jsou na tom v tomto směru nejhůř. Nicméně je třeba nepřestat bojovat. Jen díky aktivismu obyčejných lidí a organizací, které zasvětily svou náplň boji s lobby proti přírodě, se můžeme radovat z občasných zpráv o úspěších jako zákaz lovu některých ohrožených druhů, vytvoření nových přírodních rezervací, apod.

Wolf Communication

2010-02-02T12:53:00.009+01:00

Step aside from the buzz of your day. Listen to the cries, howls and growls of the wolves. If you listen carefully enough, you´ll learn to recognaise the lone howls, and the mutual howls of the pack, the puppy sounds, and more.

Wolf communication is one of the most fascinating matters. I´ve selected a few excellent sources of information on wolf communication, and audio records of their fascinating sounds.

About Wolf Howling:

"Wolves howl for more reasons than we will ever know: to bring the pack together, to respond to far-off sounds, or to see who’s out there. Howling increases during the breeding season, which usually starts in February. Usually the alpha wolf initiates the howl. It begins with a long, mournful sound from deep within him. Everything else in the forest seems to fall silent. As if on cue, other members of the pack join in, and the chorus swells to a soulful frenzy."

- excerpt from the website Living with Wolves

Make sure to not miss the

Wolf Howling and Growling Sound Clips:

http://www.searchingwolf.com/howls.htm

Also, take a look at beautiful howling wolf pictures, and read some educational information about the wolf communication here.

Live from Kolmarden Animal Park - Meet and Watch the Wolves

2010-01-25T02:07:00.003+01:00

Meet and watch the wolves of Kolmarden Animal Park, and learn how beautiful, intelligent, social and gentle these animals are.

Park´s director, zoologist Mats Hoggren explains their social habbits, clarifies some myths, talks about their nature. He also pointed out that wolves are an endangered species, threatened by extinction.

Demonstration for the wolves and against wolf hunting in Göteborg

2010-01-25T01:49:00.006+01:00

--- UPDATED INFORMATION ---

Third demonstration in the rally that started in Sweden, is on it´s way, this time in the city of Göteborg (Gothenburg).

This shows the huge, massive wave of people supporting wolves, wanting wolves in our nature, and being very angry and unaproving of the government´s decision, justified by cover-ups (read more in the past entries and please come back for more news on that).

POSTPONDED!!! - we will bring current information as soon as possible! Thanks for understanding.
Date: ???
Time: ???
Location: Gustav Adolfs Torg in Göteborg

Here is the organisers´message and invitation:

"Now it is Gothenburg's turn to start banging the table and show the government, various organizations, hunters and others who oppose the wolf, that many of us are standing up for the wolf, and our nature! Saturday, 6 / 2 at 12.00 there will be a manifestation of the wolf against wolf hunting at Gustav Adolf Square in Gothenburg. Come and join! Bring everyone you know! Together we can work wonders!"

More information:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216750707015&ref=mf#/event.php?eid=290970936196&ref=mf

The demonstration in Göteborg will be following the one in Örebro, which takes place on February 4th (more information here) and the pilot one, which took place in Stockholm, on January 17th, 2010 (please read this entry).

Please help prevent more senseless slaughtering of wolves - come and join the demonstrations!

Remembering...

2010-01-25T00:36:00.006+01:00

Three weeks have passed since what became known in Sweden as "Vargdagen" - "Wolfday". The day was January 2, 2010 and it released 12000 bloodthirsty wolf hating and trophy wanting hunters into the Swedish wilderness, where they slaughtered over 27 wolves and left many more injured, many puppies starving without their parents and many packs decimated, without their leaders.

We will never forget!

... human hatred against the breed of wolves is a product of fear of its pride, wisdom, perseverance and indomitability

More than 50 wolves are to be killed in Sweden next year, and dozens in Norway soon too.

Their fate can be changed. It is in our hands. Please help - tell the government that this is unacceptable.

Send letters to the ministry of Environment, ministry of agriculture and to the prime minister. Sign petitions listed in the menu on the right. Join organisations such as Bevara och Skydda Vargegn. Spread the word.

Thank you.

The Story of Limpy (and his many brothers and sisters worldwide)

2010-01-24T12:21:00.007+01:00

Please, read the story from the link below. It will help you to understand the global struggle of wolves - being the target of human absurde hate and trophy hunting interests.

Limpy was a wolf, that never killed any lifestock or hunting dogs, or had a conflict with human interests. He was simply killed (together with many more wolves) because he could be killed, the very first day the hunting ban was lifted in the state of Wyoming. Just like here in Sweden, where 25 wolves (out of a quota of 27 to be culled during 2010) were slaughtered during the very first day of the first legal hunting in 45 years -- not because they did something wrong, but just because the hate and trophy vision driven 12000 licenced hunters simply could.

The story of life and death of Wolf 253, affecionately called "Limpy":
http://howlingforjustice.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/limpys-story-the-life-and-death-of-wolf-253/#comment-829

How many more thousands of wolves will have to be killed around the world, how many more sad and tragic stories will be written, how many more thousands of pictures of killed or dieing wolves, and videos of the killings, will we watch and read, before we finally do something?!

The planet is not exclusively ours to use and planish as we please. And I believe there are millions of people all around the world who dissagree with what our decisionmakers do. But we need to unite, we need to stand up and speak - and say it out loud.

Please, take actions, read more facts about wolves (and other endangered species as well), ask questions, sign petitions, join various organisations and groups (many links are on the menu on the right side of the blog, and in previous posts), share information and discuss with others. All this counts. Just don´t remain silent and passive.

Aerial Wolf Killing in Alaska

2010-01-23T23:39:00.002+01:00

Alaskan wolves receive no Endangered Species Act protections, and the species has long been vilified. In the 1940s and 1950s, widespread wolf killings occurred via poisonings, bounties, and aerial shooting by federal agents. After Alaska became a state in 1959, poisoning was prohibited by legislative action and bounties were soon stopped.

Aerial shooting of wolves became common in the 1960s. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game ceased issuing aerial permits in 1972 after passage of the federal Airborne Hunting Act. The Act prohibits the shooting of wolves directly from airplanes but left legalize the practice known as "land and shoot" -- where a hunter can land a plane and shoot the animal from the ground.

Land and shoot wolf hunting remains a controversial practice and it is even opposed by many hunters. It considered unsportsmanlike, unethical, and impossible to regulate. It also leads to many other violations of hunting regulations such as chasing, herding, and harassing wolves.

Alaskan wolf shot by aerial gunner

In 1996 and again in 2000, Alaskan voters banned the practice but both times the Alaskan legislature overturned these citizen-passed laws. In 2003, the Board of Game approved several aerial wolf control programs and since then has adopted several more. Approximately 800 wolves have been killed by teams of private hunters and gunners from fixed-wing airplanes.

They rarely die fast, and are often left to suffer in agony.

So far, more than 1,000 wolves have been chased down by gunmen in low-flying aircraft and killed with high-powered rifles. This year alone, more than 250 wolves have been killed -- making the 2008/2009 aerial wolf killing season one of the deadliest in years.

The aerial killing of wolves in Alaska
MUST BE STOPPED!

Please, take action:

-- Urge Your Representative and Senators to Co-Sponsor the PAW Act: http://action.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?id=1517&pagename=homepage

-- Support National Wolf Recovery Plan:
http://action.defenders.org/ourwolves

To learn more and what you can do to help, please click here.

FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION! HELP PLEASE!!!

2010-01-20T21:02:00.004+01:00

!UPDATE! January 21, 2010 at 1:41 am. Great job so far everyone! We will bring info from the debate tomorrow. Important info: The votes are still on, so if you missed it, you can still send in your NO now. Thank you!

-----------------------------------

Here is everybody´s occasion to take action now! Please help Swedish wolves with two clicks!

Plese vote in the poll on Swedish TV4!!!

It is extremly important!!!

There will be a discussion tonight at 22:40 local time with Swedish minister of environment about the recently legalized wolf hunt.

The reporter will announce what public generally thinks, and thus it is extremly important to let them know that we are clearly against the wolf hunting!!!

Please go to: http://www.tv4.se/1.638691

and scroll down to the line, which says Rätt eller fel med vargjakt?
Under sentence which says: Är det rätt med licensjakt på varg? (Is it right to hunt wolves?), please choose NEJ (NO)

Please forward this to as many people as you know and PLEASE send in your votes!!!!

This must be done before the debate starts! So vote right away, pleae! It´s live at 22:40 pm local time

If you are interested in more information on what is going on in Sweden, please scroll down and read a few of the posts.

Thank you very much!

Wolf Day and Demonstration in Örebro

2010-01-20T15:48:00.009+01:00

Another demonstration to protest against hunting of Swedish wolves is already being organised.

This time it will take place in Örebro.

Date: Thursday, February 4, 2010

Time: 5:00pm- 8:00pm

Location: Stortorget (the main square)

Invitation from the organisers:

We want this demonstration to show that we can not tolerate the wolf slaughter in Sweden.

Örebro is located between different wolf territories ... and therefore we want you to go out and show your support for the Swedish wolf living!

During the demonstration, various speakers and organizations will apear. More information on the program and details will come later.

Organizers: Rickard Karlsson and Maria Eriksson, members of SRF (Swedish Association for Predators)

Please read about this event at:
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#/event.php?eid=259483124617&ref=nf

Please, spread the word as widely as you can.

Please attend this protest if you have a chance. It is one of the ways how you can help to stop the nonsence, brutal, unjustified killing and bad governmental decision!

DNA important wolf killed in Norway

2010-01-20T12:19:00.001+01:00

A DNA important wolf was shot from a helicopter in North Trondelag, Norway. The permission to kill the wolf was granted on Saturday, December 21, afternoon, after three reindeers were found dead in East Namdal. The wolf was killed on Januray 11, 2010.

The Norwegian Evnironment Protection Agency has severly failed it´s job. Please read below, how they have dealt with the situation.

Important wolf, who is believed to originate from the Russian-Finnish strain, was shot in Norway January 11, 2010. A so-called genetic important wolf was convicted on Bang Sea in North-Trøndelag in Norway on 21 December. The wolf shot from a helicopter of the Norwegian authorities. The 43 kilograms heavy male was killed after harrassing reindeer in the Østre Namdal reindeer grazing district.

Environmental Protection Director Svein Karlsen says that it is easy to be wise after the event: "We had no indication that it was a wolf on a walk from the east, and we knew that the animal had killed reindeer. Potential harm was significant because there were 2 000 reindeer in the area. That is why we permited the killing,"

"Now, when we know that we were dealing with a Finnish-Russian wolf, we can say that we could have done more analysis before we made the killing decision. But it does not necessarily mean that the result would have been different", implies Svein Karlsen.

What kind of nonsence is that?! How could one lone wolf be a potential danger to 2000 raindeer?!

This has no scientific base at all. And it again proves the whole core problem, which has the same pattern around entire Scandinavia. The governments do not seek for solutions such as suffecient compensation to stock animal owners, as well as strict measures in dealing with illegal killing from not only hunters, but MAINLY farm animal owners and Saami people, who own the reindeer herds.

This is the core of motives for the war against wolves in Scandinavia!

The wolf had become the perfect foreigner. The perfect target for racism and xenofobia. The hated one that can be harrased and murdered, with government covering the murderer´s back.

-------------------

Read the source article (in Swedish): http://www.jagareforbundet.se/svenskjakt/Startsida/Nyheter/Viktig-invandrad-varg-skots-i-Norge/

Demonstration against wolf hunting - Stockholm, Sweden, January 17,2010

2010-01-19T22:17:00.007+01:00

Unlike the press and media, who were invited to write about the event, and who not only chose to not write about it, but also manipulated a lot of information to fit their needs for supporting the government and hunting lobby, we bring the reflections of the demonstration that took place this past Sunday in Stockholm.

It was the first event of this kind, since the brutal slaughter of 27+ Swedish wolves took place between January 2-4th this year.

There were just days to prepare for it, organise it and announce it. Without financial and media backup. Despite that, it turned out to be a professional, well organised, well attended event, only thanks to a group of dedicated and commited people with passion and love for the wolves.

Several hundred people gathered in the old center of Sweden´s capital city, between the parliament building and the castle. I would like to objectively say how many people were there, but it is impossible, as many came after the official start.

What struck me the most of all, was the blend of ages, races, positions, education, etc.. From young people, to families with children, middle aged and pensioners. Politicians, artists, animal lovers, students of dog gymnasium, conservationalists, wildlife photographers, teachers, professors, and many more. What brought them together was one mutual cause - the love, passion and understanding for the wolf kind. The ethical feeling and knowing that what has happened in Sweden and what is going on, is TERRIBLY WRONG.

The speeches of representatives of many organisations and political parties, including the Swedish Predator Association (Svenska Rovdjurforeningen) and Grönt Partiet (Green Party), were absolutely clear:

The decision and act of Swedish government is TOTALY UNACCEPTABLE.
We cannot and will not let the delisting of wolves in Sweden from the endangered species continue.
We cannot and will not let the government kill another wolves, supported by only their ridiculous argument of inbreeding and population control (only a bit over 200 wolves lives in Sweden recently), and lobby from hunting association.

And then there were acts and sharing of experiences from ordinary people, who made one realise the horrible truth.

An older man showed his resignation to his long time employer, the Swedish ministry of agriculture. He rather risked his existence, than working for, and thus supporting the decision makers who ordered so many wolves to die for no reason.

There was a lady from Switzerland, who came to Sweden to study wolves and learn how to track them and anlyze their DNA. She told me a story of a wolf her student group "met" during field work last year, and whom got a name after one of the students. He traveled several hundred kilometers to a new teritory, where he found a partner (so much for closely inbred wolves) and was going to start a new pack. He was killed during the brutal slaughter in Värmland two weeks ago. The lady wasn´t able to finish without breaking into tears.

These, dear readers, are the real stories, that won´t be published in the mass media, such as SVT (Swedish natioal TV) or DN (Daily News). Instead, the half minute shot in TV informed about "group of about 50 animal lovers".

But that won´t change a thing on the fact, that the first of many protests took place, and united many more people with common sense.

It won´t change a fact that the politicians keep forgetting, that without voters, they won´t have their chairs in the next government.
And that there are many voters who are very angry about their government´s bad choices and unethical acts.

This sunday afternoon, when the castle walls lit up by torches and candles and the air filled with people singing and dancing, I felt the spirit of togetherness. The spirit that can help us win this war for our wild brothers, the wolves.

Let´s not give up! The journey continues.

“First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.” -- Mahatma Gandhi

Picture is worth a thousand words:

Part of the crowd which media and hunting association called the "small group of about 50 wolf lovers".

Touching tributte to the 27+ wolves massacred during the recent wolf hunt, and the 12 wolf pack, wiped out at the Skane ZOO, one week later.

Students from Dog Gymnasium in Örekljunga (several hundred kilometers south of Stockholm) came to say: "With Dogs for Wolves"

Bobby Ho - founder of Bevara och Skydda Vargen (Save and Protect Wolves) group.

The man who bravely gave up his job, because he lives by his ethical standards. Not a very common act these days.

Famous Swedish rapper Dogge Dogelito - making the crowd dance, with his original texts about wolves and politics, and a catchy reage and rap rythms

Candles lit for the fallen wolves. We can´t let this hate killing continue...

Please surf through the blog for more information and subsrcibe to the news feed, to find out how you can help.

Share the information with as many people as you can. Invite your friends to read our blog and to find out what is going on in Sweden.

Permission to copy and repost this article (with a link to the Wolf Howl blog) granted.

Finnish wolves are delisted, despite their criticaly low population

2010-01-19T20:38:00.012+01:00

Please spare a thought for wolves in Finland. In Lapland, there are currently only around 35 or possibly even fewer wolves remaining in the wild, and within Finland there are only around 200. Hunters are shooting wolves in order to prevent them from attacking reindeer, who are herded and slaughtered for their meat and skins. While Finland promotes itself as a destination for lovers of the great outdoors, wolves are ruthlessly hunted on its snows. Tell the Finnish government to end the killing.

The Finnish government has authorised the killing of wolves in Lapland. With Finland's tiny wolf population already threatened by illegal hunting, the country must protect these charismatic animals. Hunting exposes these animals to injury and causes them a lingering, painful death. It is as inhumane as it is unnecessary. Finland should celebrate the presence of these remarkable and beautiful predators and encourage responsible ecotourism in the areas where they live. In doing so, the country would benefit both the wolves and the human population.

How you can help to End the Wolf Slaughter in Lapland:

Contact and consider joining the Nature League's Wolf Action Group:

http://luontoliitto.fi/susiryhma/index.htm

Luonto-Liitto / Susiryhmä (Nature League´s Wolf Action Group)

Annankatu 26

A00100 Helsinki, FINLAND

tel. +358-9-684-4420

susiryhma@luontoliitto.fi

Join the Facebook group "Susiryhmä":
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=194653301289#/group.php?gid=33455963977&ref=mf

Sign the following petition:
http://action.peta.org.uk/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.campaign.id=5215

Cool T-Shirts to help wolves in Sweden

2010-01-19T17:08:00.003+01:00

Unlike the hunting lobby, the nature and wolf lovers don´t have a huge and rich association behind them to finance their activism.

Please help to fight against the wolf hunt in Sweden, which had already resulted in over 27 official wolf deaths, many life threatening injuries, wolf pupps left alone in fierce cold and hunger, when their parents were killed. Swedish government is planning a slaughter of minimum 50 more wolves next year, even though there are only a bit over 200 wolves in the entire country and their species are close to extinction.

Advertising, raising awareness, organising events for public to hear what is going on, all costs money, which needs to be donated and fundraised.

Please help the Bevara och Skydda Vargen (Save and Protec the Wolf) and Nordiska Rovjursnetverket (Nordic Network for Predators) groups in their outstanding efforts.

One of the ways is buying these cool, original and limited series T-shirts!:

"Bevara och Skydda Vargen - Save and Protect Wolves"

"Rör inte min varg! - Don´t touch my wolf!"

They are white with black print. Available in womens and mens models, and in all sizes. Good quality but LIMITED time only!

Mens 120:-SEK (12:-Euro), Womens 140:-SEK (14:-Euro).

Please, email your orders to: wolf@ostmediagroup.com

---------------------------------------

If you want to make a donation, here is the bank information:

Nordiska Rovdjursnätverket

Bank: Swedbank

Clearing nr: 8156-2

Kontonummer: 914 615 231-0

IBAN: SE6980000815629146152310

BIC/SWIFT: SWEDSESS

Sweden plans to kill even more wolves in 2011

2010-01-15T23:34:00.021+01:00

Two weeks have past since the governmental decision unleashed the brutal killing of 27+ wolves, by lifting a ban that stood for 45 years, in Sweden.

However, this is not just a tragedy for the endangered wolf species in Sweden, where only between 200 and 300 wolves struggle to survive in coexistance with prejudice and hate driven locals and hunters.

This is just the beginning.

The Swedish government decided to raise the quota to 50-60 wolves to be killed next year, including entire families (alfa wolves with their offspring, born between 2010 and 2011, to keep the population down at 200-210.

Since the first three January days, when the unethical and unprofessional, worldwide criticized hunt, which turned out into a brutal slaughter, shocking thousands of people, the media have been filled with press releases, statistics, interviews, discussions and more.

And as the time went by, the true story started to unfold...

Hidden by a prepared cover up from the hunting lobbyists, minister of environment Andreas Carlgren informed, that the hunt was a necessairy measure to cull individuals weakened by genetic disorders and malfunctions, caused by excessive inbreeding in the small wolf population.

Although scientists could not understand this absurde nonsense justification, this was Carlgren´s first attempt to manipulate and mislead the public. Wolf experts made a clear point then, that in order to solve the problem of inbreeding in the Swedish wolf population, more wolves with a new DNA pattern (fresh blood) would have to be introduced to the existing strain and the entire population rised up to between 500-2000 individuals, to maintain a healthy population and diversity.

When the official results of authopsies, performed on all the wolves, turned in for examination, came out, the scientistcs were not at all surprised (some even expected it) to hear all of the wolves were perfectly healthy, good and beautiful specimen.

After days of scilence, when Carlgren decided not to comment on the scientists´ criticism, new information came out through the press.

Many of the wolf experts suddenly changed their minds, and started to support the decision for extending the licenced culling.

Although charts, graphs and statistics clearly show how the wolf population in Sweden struggles, although illegal kiling by locals results in deaths of dozens of wolves in various regions of the country, the latest information, that ran through the media is that the population is successfuly rising annualy, and that illegal hunting is decreasing.

Some of the scientists started to support the administration, suggesting that culling next year by 50-60 wolves, will help maintain an optimal population size.

Just read all the articles published here in the past two weeks. Read and compare the information from the media, that we directly link to. Then you will know this is the plain, absurde, truth.

All this, and many other aditional information, add up to the total picture and help reveal the true motives of the legalized hunting.

Politics it is. Again, as countless times in history, the politics is dirty and it kills.

As long as the government will not start searching for solutions of illegal hunting, for the conflicts between people, their animals and the wolves, that result in intollerance and hate, wolves will keep struggling for their survival.

By freezing the wolf population (as the former government did), or by culling it down to near extinction (as the present one does), the illegal hunting, hate, misinformation and unacceptance will never stop.

And this is the truth in the nutshell. I have so many stories and evidence from the local hunters, who illegally kill wolves, and I hear experiences from the people who live their daily lives in the areas where the wolf wars are in it´s hottest core.

And I will focus more on informing on what is going on "behind the scences", and on bringing you closer to the reality of the rural and wilderness areas, where many people still believe in stories of the Little Red Hood, where people actually seriously believe there´s too many wolves out there, and who take nature for granted, as it´s always been here, ever since they knew. In the remote areas many people still take law into their hands, and believe that the best justice "is in the barrel", sort to speak. And they think the nature and the wildlife is theirs to do whatever they please with. The government let´s them get away with it.

Please follow the blog to obtain the latest updates on the situation in Sweden.

The more people read what is going on here, the more people will open their eyes, and more will join in helping the cause to save and protect the wolves in Sweden.

Together we can change the fate of the wolf kind, but we need to unite. We need every single voice to outweight the lobbyists, to send letters to the government and let them know what they are doing is absoultly unaceptable.

This year, there are elections in Sweden. A lot can be achieved then, with our votes.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. In deed, it´s the only thing that ever has" -- Margaret Meade.

Please, spread the word. Take action (you will find suggestions of how you can help wolves, on the menu on the right side of the blog). Feel free to comment, and express your thoughts.

The jounrey continues. The wolves need our help. Let´s not let them down!

Katerina

Read the article "More wolves to be killed" ("Fler Vargar ska skjutas") (in Swedish):http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/fler-vargar-ska-skjutas_4092385.svd

Entire wolf pack euthanised in Orsa animal park

2010-01-15T15:56:00.002+01:00

It hasn´t been even two weeks since the the brutal slaughtering of more than 27 wolves in Sweden, and there are already more tragical news.

After the absurde tragedy in Skane´s Animal Park, which should definitly be investigated further (we will inform about it on the blog in the upcomming days), we bring the sad news from Orsa bear park, where an entire wolf pack of 11, including puppies, was wiped out.

As long as animlas will be considered a property, uacceptable acts like this will keep happening, without any consequences.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Read the following newspaper article:
Source: http://www.dt.se/ (Translated by Google)

"Entire wolf pack killed "

It is not only Skåne's zoo who kill wolves. Last fall Grönklitt killed the whole wolf family, eleven animals. Grönklitt is getting new wolfes, the female comes from Riga in Latvia and the male from Langedrag in Norway.

"Alpha couple were too old, 14-15 years, "explains Pernilla Thalin, zoo director in Grönklitt. Since it would be difficult to bring new individuals in the pack all had to be killed. Now it has been wolves in the zoo over the winter, but there are seven wolves belonging Borås Zoo.

The decision to euthanise all of the wolves in Grönklitt was made after consultation with Mats Amundin on Kolmården. He is a wolf coordinator for the zoo in the entire Nordic region. Kenneth Ekwall at Stockholm University also works as a zoologist at Grönklitt. He explains that the alpha pair was about to go out of time and that there were some social problems in the pack. Kenneth Ekwall said that there were problems with previous inbreeding among zoo wolves in Sweden. These problems culminated in the 1970s. Since then, breeding efforts have focused on getting healthy wolves.

Grönklitt now has a new wolf from Latvia and one male from Norway is part of Mats Amundins plans to keep the zoo free of wolves inbreeding problems. Kenneth Ekwall explains the process of killing the wolves: first they will be sedated, then examined and finally they get a syringe with a substance that makes them fall asleep for good.

" We tend to be open with what is going on. We have previously informed the hunting organizations - We usually also notify the police before we kill animals. - It is always sad to do this, "says Ekwall regarding the killing of the old alpha pair and their pups.

Jan Norberg jan.norberg @ dt.se

Read the article in Swedish:
http://www.dt.se/nyheter/orsa/article557064.ece

Environmental Organisations meet EU Comission - A hope for the future of Swedish wolves

2010-01-15T14:29:00.011+01:00

Yesterday the representatives of WWF (World Wildlife Fun) and Swedish Association for Carnivores (Svenska Rovjurforeningen) met wit those of EU Comission.

Sweden has severly violated the rules within EU, for protection of endangered species of carnivores, when lifting the ban for licenced wolf hunting, after 45 years. The Swedish wolf population ranges only around 250 wolves in the whole large country, and is severly endgangered by illegal hunting, caused mainly by local intolerance and hate.

This is the first positive major step in helping the wolves survive, since the brutal three day slaughter between January 2-4th took place.

Please read the following article:

"Today hits environmentalism EU Comission" (google translate version)
By Jon Rohner

According to environmentalists, Sweden has violated the common rules on how endangered carnivores should be protected within the EU. Today the results will meet representatives of the Nature Conservation Society, WWF and the Swedish Society for Predators to a group senior officials at the European Commission.

According to Nature Conservation, WWF and the Swedish Society for Predator, now in place in Brussels met European Commission, Sweden has violated the EU's nature and habitat. A notification will be submitted shortly.

The organizations said that they are extremely hopeful that the EU will force the government to change its predator policy.

Previously, Finland has been convicted of hunting of wolves in similar circumstances. Environmental organizations argue that there is no doubt that the Swedish wolf hunting is illegal.

Scientists agree that the wolf in Sweden is far from a favorable status. The wolf is still an endangered species displayed on the official red list. "The hunt is simply illegal,"said SSNC chairman Mikael Karlsson. Nature Conservation Society also notes in a press release that the rules of the Habitats Directive, adopted in 1992. Sweden pledged to follow the directive of the accession to the EU in 1995. The directive makes clear that hunting license may only be permitted if the species reached the "favorable conservation status".

During the hunt wolves were felled indiscriminately without ready access to reduced property damage, the hunt was not targeted at specific individuals. Therefore, I believe that Sweden will be felled in the same way as Finland. I am convinced that the Commission and the Court will see through the government's increasingly strained attempts to persevere that the pursuit in January was legal, "says Oscar Alaric is environmental lawyer at the Society for Nature Conservation, who is now on place in Brussels.

Read the article in Swedish, at the original source: http://miljoaktuellt.idg.se/2.1845/1.285073/vargjakten-idag-traffar-miljororelsen-eu-kommissionen

UPDATE: The news has made it to the Swedish National Television SVT today:

Read: "Wolf hunt reported to the EU-comission"
("Vargjakten anmäls till EU-kommissionen") - http://svt.se/2.22620/1.1847371/vargjakt..

Dance of Wolves

2010-01-15T13:53:00.004+01:00

A tribute to all the wolves - the fallen, the present and the future.

Please help their beautiful species to survive. Take actions. Join us as we continue to fight for these wild children of nature. Read more and learn the truth about the wolf kind.

Demonstration against wolf hunting in Sweden

2010-01-15T01:33:00.008+01:00

Sunday, January 17, 2010 - Mynttorget, Stockholm

(old town - located between the castle and the parliament house)

14:00 - 17:00 pm

IN UNITY IS POWER - See You there!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has”….Margaret Meade

Bevara och Skyda Vargen´s motto: "Don´t touch my wolf!"

Wolf Howl - blog for wolves will be covering the demonstration "live" and will bring reportage as well as photos. Sign up for our RSS feed and follow us.

SMS to help stop the wolf hunting in Sweden

2010-01-15T00:50:00.005+01:00

Please, help save wolves in Sweden!

!Help us with the fundraising for activities to stop the wolf hunting!

Even little donation means a lot! Please, share this information with your friends.
THANK YOU!

The interest group Bevara och Skydda Vargen (Save and Protect the Wolf), together with Nordic Predator Network (Nordiska Rovjurnetverket) are one of the largest and most proactive groups, that help save and protect the Swedish wolves.

Please, help them fundraise financial means to help the Swedish Wolves.

Send an SMS from your mobile phone with the word VARG and add either number 10, 25, 75 or 100 as en equivalent to the amount of Swedish crowns you would like to donate:

VARG 10 or VARG 25 or VARG 75 or VARG 100

!Important Note!: This is possible only from Swedish mobile phones

If you are outside the country, or prefer another way to send dontaion, you can use this account nr.:

Nordiska Rovdjursnätverket
Bank: Swedbank
Account nr. 914615231-0
Clearing nr.: 8156-2
IBAN: SE6980000815629146152310
BIC/SWIFT: SWEDSESS

ALL profits will support the group´s work for the wolves and their survival.

Wolf - Endangered Species in Sweden and World

2010-01-15T00:50:00.002+01:00

Authopsies prove all wolves were healthy!

2010-01-14T22:42:00.000+01:00

Authopsies performed on all the wolves, officially shot during the brutal three day hunt in Sweden (January 2-4th, 2010) prove all of the wolves were healthy and in a good condition.

Minister of environment Andreas Carlgren, used concern for genetical disorders in the wolves, resulting from excessive inbreeding, as the major excuse to justify the lifting of the ban, which lasted for 45 years.

It is now more clear by each day, that it was a cover up of the real motives for the brutal, unethical hunt. Something that thousands of wolf lovers, experts and conservationalists have been pointing out already before the hunt started.

The experts at the Upsala university, that performed the authopsies, clearly state that the wolves were in great condition, beautiful specimen with no sings of genetic defects. The only thing that points out at inbreeding is the small amount of litters and small size of litters born. The scientists also say that culling the recent population is a disaster, because the gene pool of each remaining individual will be smaller.

Please read the following articles, which cover the recently perfomed authopsies and their results:

"All wolves were healthy"
(google translate version)

First five of the 27 wolves shot since the wolf hunt was launched last Saturday have been disscet at SVA, National Veterinary Institute in Uppsala.

Jonas Malmsten: "All dissect wolves were completely healthy. More dead wolves are expected to come in today and next week, expect veterinarians will be available."

"Even a large male wolf, who weighed 53.5 kilograms just before he was shot, "said Jonas Malmsten, assistant state veterinarian at SVA.

"He is a fine specimen, with well-developed muscles and large fine teeth. He does not have any specific injuries or lesions,"he says.

All wolves that underwent the authopsy so far have been healthy before they were killed. The results of authopsies will, among other, be sent to Environmental Protection Agency, which compiles the results of this year's hunting of wolves.

Original source in Swedish: http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/varmland/nyheter/artikel.asp?artikel=3357355

"Healthy Wolves Killed" (in Swedish)
http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/friska-vargar-skjutna_4078911.svd

Excerpt from this article:
"it is impossible to know what wolves are inbred and which ones have new blood.- Environment Minister has misunderstood if he thinks it's possible to shoot the "right" wolf. We can not separate the inbred wolves from the new, "says Olof Liberg.

Also, please read this blog entry.

Read another related article:

"Minister dogged by more wolf hunt criticism" (in English)http://www.thelocal.se/24362/20100113/

Minister Carlgren left for an out of coutnry holiday and refuses to speak with the scientists...

Sweden´s leading wolf researchers highly critical towards the genetic justification of the wolf hunting in Sweden

2010-01-14T22:37:00.000+01:00

Sweden's leading wolf researchers are highly critical of the environment minister Andreas Carlgren justifying this year's hunting of wolves by "bad genes"

Female wolf killed right outside Kristinehamn on the very first day the ban was lifted, January 2, 2010

"It created an expectation that all shot animals would be deformed, which is a total misconception, "says Olof Liberg, coordinator of the wolf research project Skandulv.

In both opinion articles and interviews, Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren reasoned decision of the Government for the first time in almost fifty years, the general hunting in 27 wolves in wolves are not genetically healthy. He adds, moreover, that the rapid growth of genetically diseased wolves threaten to jeopardize the objective of the whole predator policy.

This year's hunting of wolves is largely completed. The dead wolves have been sent to National Veterinary Institute for analysis.

It's healthy and beautiful animals broadly, "says Carl Hård af Segerstad, Head of Unit at SVA.But it is not at all with the picture that the wolves are sick, creating debate.

So far, we dissect 24 animals. We've found a few little things but nothing serious, "said Carl Hård af Segerstad.

According to Olof Liberg, it is also exactly what the researchers had expected.

Carlgren has spread this misconception by his talk about the replacement of diseased wolves, "says Olof Liberg.

Previous studies have shown that about 10 percent of the wolves carry an abnormality. But the most serious effect is on reproduction. Litter size, the amount and persistence has been associated with inbreeding, "says Olof Liberg.

Hans Ellegren, professor of evolutionary biology at Uppsala University, has long followed the Swedish wolf. Nor does he see that inbreeding among the wolves is an argument for hunting. On the contrary, reduces the genetic variation in the stem for each animal shot.

As long as the strain is so small you can not scientifically justify hunting, "says Hans Ellegren.

Therefore, researchers agree that the most important measure of the wolf's future is to move into new wolves.

The hunt is only one way to get a wider acceptance of wolves, "says Olof Liberg.

According to parliamentary decision last fall to more than 20 wolves in the coming years to be the Swedish population. In the first instance, wolves who voluntarily walks into Sweden in the north moves southward. In the alternative might be required for import of wolves.

It becomes difficult to gain acceptance locally to release new wolves in an area, "said Susanna Löfgren, responsible for wildlife management in the Environmental Protection Agency.

Environment Andreas Carlgren is on holiday abroad and have chosen not to comment on criticism from the scientific direction.

Surce: http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/inavel-hos-fa-av-de-skjutna-vargarna-1.1025971
author: Annika Nilsson, annika.nilsson @ dn.se

Article by Claes Andrén, Professor of Conservation Biology, Nordens Ark

2010-01-13T21:43:00.005+01:00

Source: http://www.nordensark.se/
Published with an expressed premition by the author.

(Please excuse the not so acurate translation, article has been google-translated).

Nordens Ark is closely monitoring the measures taken to ensure a vibrant Swedish wolf population The wolf is classified as acute danger of extinction in our country and the goal of conservation efforts must be accompanied by actions to create the conditions for long-term functioning wolf tribe. There are two important starting points to consider, first, to increase the genetic variation, and secondly to increase the total population size in the country. To increase the genetic variation can be achieved by facilitating the immigration or actively move here unrelated animals. In the case of minimum population size needed to eventually maintain a favorable conservation status, researchers' recommendations vary from 500 to 2000 animals.

The governmental reasoning of the wolf hunt was stated by Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren in the morning news in P1 on Monday, 4 / 1 as part of a long-term conservation of the species, but the logic of this is difficult to understand. The previous government set an interim target of just over 200 wolves, and the current government has decided to "freeze" the wolf population size to 210 in order to later evaluate. This is less than half of what researchers in population genetics at Uppsala University consider to be the minimum population size required for the wolf population to survive in the long run. Despite this, Parliament decided on a firing of 27 wolves.

Allowing the presence of large carnivores in one country may involve conflicts of interests. When wolves attack domestic animals should, of course, the affected owners be compensated and farm animals as far as possible protected. By protective for wolves that cause these conflicts are removed. A wolf pack has a social system in which the team is led by an alfa pair, one male and one female, and their offspring. As long as the group has this structure, it works relatively stable as a cohesive unit. Older offspring, especially males, tend to eventually leave the group in search of a female, and form a new territory. If you want to hunt reduce conflict between wolves and domestic animals, should be put into protective of designated areas where these problems are greatest, we should also strive to remove the entire family groups, ie alpha pair and their pups.

Canadian studies show that the two alpha animals shot, there is great risk that the remaining young animals are lost and spread and can cause more problems than it would solve the quest. The hunt is now carried on the county administrative boards have not received a directive to exclude alpha animals, but the people as you got suspended, we have not identified the turf where conflicts with domestic animals could justify hunting. Five counties have received a fixed allocation of animals and then have the hunt were basically free. According to a circular ring to the various counties as presented in the report on Monday evening on January 4, almost one third, 7 of 25 wolves, were injured shot and killed later after hours of suffering.

Viggo Nielsen at the County Administrative Board of Dalarna is critical to how the hunt conducted and believes that it is not always exercised by skilled hunters. The researcher and veterinarian Jon M Amemo in the Scandinavian wolf project believe that such a game should have been done by hunters with special knowledge about wolves, but such claims have been under Per Risberg on Environmental Protection Agency did not exist. (Read more www.svt.se Report 4 / 1) We wonder what the Government wants to achieve with this policy. For two days, the race largely closed, scattered animal has been shot in many different territories. It has thus not reduced the risk of conflicts with domestic animals, has been hunting at the time of shooting wolves without knowing it's alpha animal, and at worst it has been created when groups of misguided wolves spread into the countryside. It has allowed hunting in an acute endangered predators in conflict with scientific recommendations on the minimum population size required for a viable wolf population. We follow with interest the measures which the Government proposes to ensure that the 20 new wolves enriches the Swedish wolf population.

Claes Andrén
Professor of Conservation Biology
Scientific Director Nordens Ark

The whole article in Swedish:

Nordens Ark följer noga de åtgärder som vidtas för att säkerställa en livskraftig svensk vargstam. Vargen är klassad som akut utrotningshotad i vårt land och målet med bevarandearbetet måste vara att med olika åtgärder skapa förutsättningar för en långsiktigt väl fungerande vargstam. Det finns två viktiga utgångspunkter att ta hänsyn till, dels att öka den genetiska variationen, och dels att öka populationsstorleken totalt i landet. Att öka den genetiska variationen kan ske genom att underlätta invandring eller att aktivt flytta hit obesläktade djur. När det gäller minsta populationsstorlek som krävs för att på sikt vidmakthålla en gynnsam bevarandestatus, så varierar forskarnas rekommendationer från 500 till 2000 djur.

Den av Riksdagen beslutade vargjakten uppgavs av miljöminister Andreas Carlgren i morgonnyheterna i P1 måndagen den 4/1 vara ett led i ett långsiktigt bevarande av arten, men logiken i detta är svår att förstå. Den förra regeringen satte upp ett etappmål på drygt 200 vargar och den nuvarande regeringen har bestämt sig för att ”frysa” vargstammens storlek till 210 för att längre fram göra en utvärdering. Detta är mindre än hälften av vad forskare inom populationsgenetik på Uppsala universitet anser vara den minsta populationsstorlek som krävs för att vargstammen skall överleva på sikt. Trots detta beslutar Riksdagen om en avskjutning av 27 vargar.

Att tillåta förekomsten av stora rovdjur i ett land kan innebära konflikter med olika intressen. När vargar angriper tamboskap ska givetvis de drabbade djurägarna ersättas och tamboskapen så långt möjligt skyddas. Genom skyddsjakt kan vargar som orsakar dessa konflikter tas bort. En vargflock har ett socialt system där gruppen leds av ett alfapar, en hane och en hona, och deras ungar. Så länge gruppen har denna struktur fungerar den relativt stabilt som en sammanhållen enhet. Äldre ungar, främst hanar, brukar så småningom lämna gruppen för att söka en hona och bilda ett nytt revir. Om man med jakt vill minska konflikten mellan varg och tamdjur, borde man sätta in skyddsjakt i utpekade områden där dessa problem är störst, man borde också sträva efter att ta bort hela familjegrupper, d.v.s. alfaparet och deras ungar.

Kanadensiska studier visar att om båda alfadjuren skjuts finns det stor risk att de kvarvarande unga djuren blir vilsna och sprids och kan ställa till större problem än de man ville lösa med jakten. I den jakt som nu bedrivits har länsstyrelserna inte fått direktiv att undanta alfadjuren, utan vilka individer som helst fick skjutas, man har inte heller pekat ut de revir där konflikterna med tamdjur skulle kunna motivera jakt. Fem län har fått en bestämd tilldelning av djur och därefter har jakten i princip varit fri. Enligt en rundringning till de olika länen som redovisades i Rapport på måndagskvällen den 4/1 har nästan en tredjedel, 7 av 25 vargar, skadeskjutits och avlivats senare vid eftersök.

Viggo Nielsen på Länsstyrelsen i Dalarna är kritisk till hur jakten bedrivits och menar att den inte alltid utövats av skickliga jägare. Forskaren och veterinären Jon M Amemo inom skandinaviska vargprojektet anser att en sådan jakt borde ha skett av jägare med särskild kunskap om vargar, men sådana krav har enligt Per Risberg på Naturvårdsverket inte funnits. (Läs mer http://www.svt.se/ Rapport 4/1) Vi frågar oss vad Regeringen vill uppnå med denna politik. På två dagar har jakten i stort sett avslutats, spridda djur har skjutits i många olika revir. Man har på detta sätt inte minskat risken för konflikter med tamdjur, man har vid jakttillfället skjutit vargar utan vetskap om det är alfadjur och i värsta fall har man då skapat grupper av vilsna vargar som sprider sig i landskapet. Man har tillåtit jakt på ett akut utrotningshotat rovdjur i strid med forskarnas rekommendationer om minsta populationsstorlek som krävs för en livskraftig vargstam. Vi följer också med intresse de åtgärder som regeringen föreslår för att säkerställa att 20 nya vargar berikar den svenska vargstammen.

Claes Andrén

Professor i bevarandebiologi

Vetenskaplig ledare Nordens Ark

Meet the Wolves

2010-01-13T12:50:00.011+01:00

Many people never had the oportunity to meet a wolf face to face. Many people have unfortunatley developed a one-sided opinon, based on myths and wrong information from wolf haters, around the globe.

The Bevara och Skydda Vargen! (Save and Protect the Wolf!) group, and it´s creator Bobby Ho, made this short video to bring the wolves closer to you. To see their beauty and social behaviour.

Meet the wolves, the children of nature, who need us, to help their species to survive. Hundreds are hunted down each year and brutally killed. Please go to Did you know... section, and learn more about these beautiful animals, whose species is endangered.

Posted with permission from the author, Bobby Ho, Bevara och Skydda Vargen

Press release from Swedish Wildlife Association, regarding the January slaughter of wolves

2010-01-13T12:30:00.001+01:00

Please excuse the not so acurate translation, article has been google-translated.

Wolf Slaughter in January - a black stain in the history of coservation!

Many people have reacted strongly, and with strong disgust at the mass hunting of wolves as recently witnessed by the media, "said Swedish Wildlife Association.

The hunt, which, according to Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren's constantly repeated mantra would be "limited and strictly controlled" meant in reality that thousands of hunters, both injured animals and shot over the allocated quota of over 10% of the population. The current situation is unclear how many wolves were actually taken down.

Swedish Wildlife Association has never received so many responses from so many people from such diverse places of accommodation and professions, as now, when when it went up to the Swedish people that the government opened the doors of the mass hunting of Sweden's few wolves. We quickly got over 10 000 signatures in protest against the hunt, "says Ann Dahlerus, general secretary of the Swedish Society for Predators. - Alliance has had such a rush to honor the 2006 election promise on the hunting of wolves for the election year of 2010 that the proper preparation, which was the least we could claim for the controversy over hunting was stress on the foot.

Neither the Environmental Protection Agency or the county administrative boards have been given time to ensure that the hunt was held in such strictly controlled conditions as the situation requires, "says Krister Persson, chairman of the Swedish Society for Predators.

Ultimately responsible for hunting are the two decisive Center Party ministers Andreas Carlgen and Eskil Erlandsson, who with cloudy argument advocating for the hunt as if it would be basically a good thing for the wolf population. The Minister has in several media elements claimed that the purpose of hunting is to shoot animals that suffer from genetic defects, presumably in order to get the search to be "humane" and forward looking. - He speaks in good faith. Wolves have been shot indiscriminately and there was no plan to target your hunt for specific animals. In addition, there are no opportunities to identify a wolf who might suffer some genetic damage, which is hopefully only a few animals do so far. Perfectly healthy wolves were shot.

To cull by more than 10% of the wolf population is obviously not an acceptable strategy to maintain a small and highly isolated wolf population, "said Ann Dahlerus.

The most urgent measures is to allow the wolf population grow until it becomes larger and more stable and allowing the wolf-ups even in the north where they are now banned. Genetic connect naturally with the Finnish-Russian population is essential for the wolf population long-term survival, "says Krister Persson.

Judging from the responses received to the Swedish Association of Predators in recent days, many people find it absurd that the hunting of a critically endangered wolf population is released to thousands of hunters at the same time and takes place in forms resembling a pure joy of hunting!

It seems that there among the hunting comunity, there was a real excitement about the wolf hunt, and reporting from diferent locations gives the impression that wolf hunting is seen as a real highlight. In light of the predators hostile sentiments contained within a small but combative segments within the hunting core have surely demands that stand in 25 degrees below zero was significant, "says Anders Ekholm, regional manager for the Swedish Association Predators within the county.

The association now expects the authorities to thoroughly evaluate how the hunt was organized and put into practice in parallel with a rapid assessment of the impact on wolf population. What animals were shot? Including information on descendants of immigrants and how is the current situation for surviving puppies in turf where the parent stock was shot?

For more information contact:
Ann Dahlerus, Secretary General of Swedish Predators' Association, tel 0768-500 653rd

Krister Persson, President of Swedish Association Predators, tel 070-643 88 69th

Anders Ekholm, regional manager Gävleborg Swedish Predators Association, phone 026-29 51 10, 070-651 56 32nd

Download the press release via the link below:
http://www.rovdjur.se/pag, 01,1,96,97,463. html

Read the article in Swedish: http://www.rovdjur.se/shi,11,1,1464.html

Also, please read: "Wolf hunting - Scandal in Swedish Conservation" (Vargjakten scandal i Svensk naturvard")

SHOCKING: Official statistics by Swedish hunting association, of wolves slaughtered January 2-4, 2010

2010-01-13T01:12:00.003+01:00

Official statistics of wolves killed during the slaughter between January 2-4th, 2010, in Sweden, are now out. These statistics are released by the Swedish hunting association.

Majority of the information in the chart proves and claryfies a lot of information that ran through the press in the past days, and that is published in our blog, since the hunt started.

Unfortunately, it meas a very tragic news have been officially confirmed. Such as:

ALFA WOLVES KILLED - total of 5

ALFA PAIR - PARENTS OF 6 PUPPIES KILLED

MANY WOLVES INJURED AND KILLED AFTER HOURS AND DAYS (leaving them in pain and agony)

PUPPIES KILLED - total of 13 (from 2009 litters)

FEMALE WOLF SHOT, TOOK HALF HOUR FOR HER TO DIE (!) - how is this possible??!!! Why wasn´t she shot to die quickly? The hunters purposely left her dieing slowly! And found the time to take pictures! Here is a photo to document it:

WOLF KILLED WHILE HUNTING A DEAR AND BRINGING IT TO THE PACK TO FEED HIS FAMILY

WOLVES WITH RADIO TRANSMITTERS KILLED - easy tracking!

OVERSHOOTING THE QUOTA

All this proves and confirms: Unprofessional organisation, no hunting ethics applied, purposely chosen leaders (alfa wolves) and other individuals to cause greater demage (for years to come!), hearltess killing driven by hate and joy for killing and torturing, and more.

Please see the chart below. Click to enlarge or click this link, to the original post at Swedish hunting association´s website.

A few translation notes to the chart:

Län = county
Datum fälld = date killed
Datum Paskjuten = date shot (injured), but not killed
Revir = teritory
Plats = location
Kön = gender
Alder = age
Vikt = weight
Antal djur i saten = animals totally in site on location
Foraldra djur = adults (including alfa)
Ingar i par = together in pair
Ensam djur = single animal
Ungdjur/Valp i revir = young wolves/puppies in teritory
Anm = notes, comments

The overshot wolves were not listed in the chart, for some reason (!), but are mentioned sporadically on the hunting association´s website.

The Swedish hunting association still considers this a successful hunt, that went smoothly without any problems!!!

Please, help to stop the nonsense, brutal killing of wovles in Sweden, and other parts of the world!

TAKE ACTION by signing petitions, donating, and joining conservation groups. See links and more info at the menu on the right side of the blog.

THANK YOU!

Genetics does not justify the wolf hunt

2010-01-12T22:00:00.006+01:00

Andreas Carlgren, Swedish Minister of the Environment, has argued that the wolf hunt will encourage the genetic revitalisation of the severely in-bred Swedish wolf population.

However, this claim is refused by Hans Ellegren, professor in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Uppsala He says that – to the contrary – if the aim is a genetic revitalisation of the Swedish wolf population, then a significant increase in their numbers is needed.“All measures to reduce the number of wolves will have a negative effect on the wolf population”“From a scientific viewpoint, the present number of 200 wolves is far too small if we want a long-term, sustainable, healthy wolf population. So any measures which reduce the number of wolves will have a negative effect on the wolf population.”

How many wolves would be needed, to establish a healthy basis?“That’s harder to say. It’s difficult to make exact predictions for a specific species. But 1,000 wolves would probably be considered a healthy group. Of course, that would presuppose an already high level of genetic variation – which is not the case with the Swedish wolves, who probably all descend from only three individuals. A couple of new individuals have immigrated, which has brought in some new blood, but that’s not enough. A much greater amount of new blood is needed, than there has been so far”, says Hans Ellegren.

His research group has been studying the Scandinavian wolf population for 15 years. Using various DNA techniques, they have measured and examined the genetic variation in the group and have observed that there is an unusually low level of genetic variation - due to the fact that the whole group descends from just a few individuals. There is extensive in-breeding.

According to the Minister of the Environment Andreas Carlgren, one of the arguments for allowing the wolf hunt is that it will encourage the genetic revitalisation of the wolf population. But Hans Ellegren cannot understand such reasoning. “I would imagine that what he (Carlgren) probably means, is that first and foremost the most in-bred individuals should be removed. And naturally, if any are to be removed at all, then it’s better to remove those, than to remove the ones with greater genetic variation. But in order to do so, then all the wolves would first have to be examined and tagged, so we could recognise each individual and see which are the ones with a higher level of genetic variation. However, it must be said that it is difficult to regulate nature in this way. For example, in the laboratory we can measure the level of genetic variation, but we cannot see whether a certain individual is the bearer of a disease that has not yet been characterised. So it would be a very rough estimate – to try to characterise the whole wolf population in advance and then pick out individuals on that basis. That seems to be a very weak argument, from a scientific viewpoint”, says Hans Ellegren.

In an international perspective, the wolf is not an endangered species. However, the prospects for the survival of the Swedish wolf population in the long term are poor. In order to save them, two measures are needed, according to Hans Ellegren.“From a strictly scientific viewpoint – because I do realise that this is a political issue with many dimensions – the two most important measures to take at present are: 1 - allow the wolf population to grow as quickly as possible, so that the numbers increase, and 2 - make sure that new blood comes in, somehow”, says Hans Ellegren, professor in evolutionary Biology at Uppsala University.

Reporter Maria Quistberg/Published Jan. 4, 2010-01-07

by: Carolyn Belgrave Rappestad © ostmediagroup X

Translated and quoted directly from the article on the website of SR International - Radio Sweden.

Read the original article in Swedish, on SR International: http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/international/artikel.asp?Artikel=3348972

Of Wolves and Men

2010-01-12T21:24:00.006+01:00

I hope many wolf hunters and those, who critize the efforts of wolf supporters, will read my story.

I am not a vegetarian and I am not against animal hunting. Hunting for food, and logical hunting, that is. I am not an oversensitive city person, that never saw a wild animal in it´s natural surroundings.

I am an experienced breeder of working siberian huskies and I share my life with around 50 dogs, for 20 years. these dogs have very much similar behaviour and are genetically closest to the wolf.

I am also long time conservationalist. And I have never heared any such thing, that inbreeding of wolves would bring them to such extreme situation, that they would need to be shot for that. (On that note, I am really glad to have read an article on http://www.sr.se/ yesterady, called "Genetics No Reason for Wolf Hunt" which clearly confirmed, after a debate with Hans Ellegren, proffesor of evolution biology, University of Uppsala, Sweden), what I just said).

Instead, in such situations, those who really care for wolves, not those who find an easy and brutal solution, which will satisfy their trophy hunting needs, come with relocating programs, colars with electronic devices are attached to wolves so the population can be monitored and we can learn more about their living, instead of getting rid of them without even knowing them.

I wonder how many of the hunters who went out in the past days, and killed the wolves, know them, their social habbits, their way of hunting prey, their importance to the ecosystem.

People say that there is too many moose, so we need to keep their numbers down. But they forget, that it is not entirely up to us. The wolves, the coyotes, the bears and other beasts have the same rights to help keeping the numbers down and keeping the balance in nature. In fact, they are the ones who work the smarter and more "human" way than we do. They take the weakest individuals from the herds. They never go fo the leaders, for the strongest ones. But many human hunters try to go for those big, chunky, juicy ones or for those with the most majestic antlers. So where is the wisdom?

Another argument I see all the time lately, is pictures of dogs ripped apart by wolves. First of all, who gives a 100% guarantee, that all of them were killed by wolves, secondly, the interesting evidence is, that vast majority of these dogs are hunting breeds. Coincidence? I don´t think so.

The largest Swedish insurance company, Agria, which insures over 70% of Swedish dogs, provided interesting statistics of dogs being killed annually. Only a small percent of them were confirmed to be killed by wolves and those were confirmed to be hunting dogs!

An interesting number to mention is also the amount of dogs being killed by hunters annually - 135, comparing to wolves, which was about 30 in the past few years.

Regarding the small percent of companion dogs that were really killed by wolves - if people live in areas with high wolf and other wild predator population, it is their own risk and excuse my language, also stupidity, that they do not secure their animals well enough.

We live in the middle of wilderness, nearest community is 10km, nearest town with infrastructures (shops, gas station, post office) is 40km. We live right in the woods. I am always extra cautious when I go for walk in the woods with my dogs.There are eagles circulating above our kennel and house when we have small puppies, so we had to build our puppy kennels so that the big birds can´t hunt them. We never leave the dogs unattended, if they are not in their kennels.

Two years ago, I was attacked with my dog team by moose. The moose held us on place for two hours and kicked into my dogs seven times. Due to incredible amount of luck, we managed to escape the moose´s attacks with just a few minor injuries on a few dogs. Do I hate moose since then? Do I want to kill them brutally? No. I am just extra careful and I know that next time I meet one, who is wounded (like this one) or doesn´t want to leave the trail, I will turn my team around.

A man in our neighbourhood has a herd of 20+ sheep. He has them well secured. They´ve never been taken by wolf. He experienced a lynx attack once, and since then, he keeps his sheep close to the house at night. He also has several very good and sharp herding dogs.

It is us, humans, who have (or I should say should have) more brains and should make wise decisions to prevent tragedies. The planet does not belong to us exclusively. Many species were here before us. We have likquidated so many plants and animals already. And every time we feel we don´t have enough space for our comfortable living, we just go ahead and kill some more.

What would we do if the animals decided the same about us? that there´s too many of us? That we are sick, that we have many weak ones, or with genetic disorders among us, and therefore a certain quota should be killed? You would call that inhumane, right? And what we do the underpopulated, endangered species of wolves? We inhumanely and brutally planish their families and leave their children alone, in the middle of the winter, without the elders who provide food. We leave them starve to death. We proudly show off our trophies. Our easy trophies.

Almost every hunter I´ve ever met told me, that hunting is a wise thing. That animals can´t be put in disadvantage. That only certain amount of hunters can be in one group, to make it fair for the animal. Wow, so how is it possible that it was allowed for over 1200 hunters to kill 27 wolves?! That is absolutly unaceptable. And brutal and immoral. Swedish government should never consult the wolf problematic with the hunting association. None of them are experts in wolf behaviour. Conservationalist experts should have been contacted and consulted, before this tragic decision was made.

If you read the article below ("Sad News with Consequences - Tragedy for Sweden´s Wolves) I reposted yesterday, you will clearly see that the hunt of 27 animals to keep the population down, will result in a tragedy - as it was planned to decimate the wolf packs into such extend, that their species would barely recover. I also wonder, if the Swedish government knows about this plan, and if they specified what kind of animals (age, sex, etc.) should be killed. I do not want to believe that the decision makers would specifically tell to kill so many pack leaders, pupps, parents of young, dependent pupps, etc. This is a totally immoral, unacceptable act, that has to be investigated and punished. And many steps have to be taken, not to ever repeat such terrifying act that cannot be forgiven. Over one weekend of brutal killing, Sweden has lost it´s position of a leader in ecology and environmentalism. This country cannot any longer be used as a good example for other countires. But that is another story.

I could write on and on. The point is clear. Not all of us, who protect wolves and protest about this bad decision of the Swedish government, are city people and vegans who never set a foot in the woods, or anarchists that have to protest against everything. We are not driven by hate. Many of us, unlike the wolf hunters, know what we are saying. We read facts and follow stastistics. We listen to experts and to the common sence. How come the government and the hunters don´t?

With hopes and wishes that more of us will open our eyes and hearts.

Katerina

P.S. I would also like to make a clear statement, that I do not put all hunters in the same box, labeled "bad". I know quite a lot of hunters, some of which are my friends. They love and respect nature, and they follow a code of ethics. And they will not take this as an attack.

Statistics of dogs killed annually in Sweden

2010-01-12T21:03:00.006+01:00

One of the strongest arguments of the lobbyists for licenced wolf hunting in Sweden, is the amount of dogs, killed by wolves annually.

Here are statistics from Agria - Sweden´s largest insurance company, which insures around 70% of Swedish dogs:

Injured or dead dogs between years 2000-2005:

TRAFIC: 7252
STRAY BULLET: 135
PREDATORS: 78
OTHER WILD ANIMALS: 43

TOTAL: 7508

Note, that it doesn´t even specify how many dogs were killed by wolves, from all the predators.

In Swedish:

Källa Agria försäkringsbolag:
Skadade eller dödade hundar under 2000-2005
Orsak Antal trafik 7252
vådaskott 135
rovdjur 78
Annat vilt 43

Totalt 7508

Sad News with Consequences - Tragedy for Sweden´s Wolves

2010-01-12T20:19:00.004+01:00

UPDATE from the group Bevara och Skydda Vargen (Save and Protect Wolves):

SAD NEWS, WITH CONSEQUENCES

It is now confirmed that both the alpha male and alpha female from the Amunge territory have been killed. This means that their orphaned wolf pups are now left alone out in the territory. They will probably not survive on their own, in this extremely cold winter.

This makes a TOTAL of SEVEN ALPHA WOLVES KILLED - equivalent to 30% of the total number of wolves killed in the legalised "hunt".

A coincidence? No!

This was planned after the tracking and mapping of the wolf flocks, which made it possible for the hunters to inflict the most effective, serious damage. The alpha wolf was their number one priority; we have published evidence of this earlier on this site.

The consequences of orphaned wolf pups, left alone, hunting in the "wrong way", will then be that the hunters are obliged to take "protective hunting" measures against them.

Just a coincidence!? No! This is starting to look VERY suspicious!

WE DEMAND THAT THOSE RESPONSIBLE COME FORWARD!

No portions of text were removed or edited. Published with the permisson from the author.

Please, join the group (link is on sidebar), and sign petitions, listed on the sidebar. Also please consider joining the Swedish Wildlife Association.

Several alfa wolves killed during the hunt in Sweden

2010-01-12T19:47:00.007+01:00

Several alfa wolves were killed during Sweden´s legalized wolf hunt, January 2-4th, 2010.

Inluding an alfa pair - parents to six eight months old puppies.

Hunters confirmed that they tracked the alfa wolves before the hunt started and therefore they knew what animals they are shooting. That is a total catastrophy and unaceptable act!

The Swedish hunting association claims that shooting was a random selection, but their own official statistics of the hunt, published on their official website proofs, that the specific wolves were tracked before the hunt.

The young wolves, left without their parents and pack leaders, are most likely to develop wrong behaviour paterns, and to hunt easy preay, such as farm animals. They can even take down dogs, so the hunt created a problem, instead of solving it, as was presented.

This is a totally heartless, unprofessional and unethical act and scandal.

Read these articles, covering the killing of alfa wolves during the hunt:

"Alpha pair most likely killed" - Gävle Dala - http://gd.se/nyheter/gavle/1.1700462

"Hunting Ethics does not apply in wolf hunting" - Vargens Tid

"Orphaned wolf pupps can take dogs" - Swedish Radio Göteborg http://www.sr.se/gavleborg/nyheter/artikel.asp?artikel=3354327

Prognosis of over quota killing during Sweden´s first licenced hunt in 45 years

2010-01-12T14:13:00.006+01:00

Out of 24 wolves, killed the first two days during Sweden´s brutal January 2010 slaughter, only 7 were killed instantly. The rest had to be tracked down, hours up to two days and killed later.

The blog "Varg Tiden" writes an interesting, but very sad article, which is an eye opener to many (in Swedish):
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fvargenstid.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2F04%2F28-doda-vargar-ar-betydligt-fler%2F&h=292eb1add4324761b9582186e90fe69b

The 2010 quota of wolves to be slughtered, stated by the Swedish government, is 27 wolves. But becuse 12000 hunters went out, being about 400:1, there is a very high probability, that the qoata will be overshot.

Not only that. Wolf haters and wolf intolerance has already caused about 20 wolves being killed illegaly each year in Sweden. Wolf haters in several Swedish areas went already so far, that they poison meat and set it in the woods to poison te wolves. Wolves have been illegally trapped, as well as poisoned by antifreeze, known to cause kideny failures and a slow, painful death. This information is obtained from Police investigation sources.

It is therefore no wonder, that wolves will be highly overshot during the hunt.

Sweden: Hunting of wolves in breach of EU rules

2010-01-12T13:45:00.006+01:00

Article in GT Expressen (google translate version):

Read original source, in Swedish here.

Hunting of wolves in breach of EU rules January 2, 2010
"CHASE supported EU haters"

This morning was the start of the wolf hunt January 2, 2010 Today started hunting of wolves Today, 12 000 hunters out to shoot 27 wolves, about 440 hunters per wolf. In Västra Götaland, three Wolves pushed by two or three thousand hunters. The first big wolf hunt for one hundred years, adopted by the parliament and the government, driven by a small but loud, aggressive anti-wolf lobby, who brought with them the king and government, governors, LRF, Kennel Club, etc... A game that is contrary to Swedish law and EU law.

Government vantolkar provisions and grants the hunt for that "achieving local acceptance of large carnivores in the living predators in areas". Main arguments to shoot 27 wolves! Ignoring measures consulting, training, game fence, contributions for injuries, etc., and claim they are not enough for people to accept wolves. Against this stands the contrary, several studies indicate that support for the wolf in Sweden is strong and widespread among the public. The researchers also found that support for the wolf in Sweden is stronger in humans related to rural than in genuine urban population. Most negative group are the hunters, however, is this 40 percent in favor of wolves.

This race is not about to shoot problem wolves - it is about to decimate the strain on the grounds that the Swedish people are not capable of more than 210 wolves. The trunk itself seems to pose problems and populist politicians expect to gain points by demanding hunting of wolves. Argument for hunting is to not allow the wolf lives in rural areas. The Dala newspapers were recently read how local politicians in the valley agreed that "wolf agony" must be addressed as "the people do not have to move away or become criminals and take matters into their own hands to eradicate the wolf". Fact is that the damage to domestic animals is relatively small. That the wolf would be dangerous for people without foundation.

Several people die every year from wasp stings and viper bites. A woman was recently killed by moose. On average, the addition in recent years 2 - 3 persons killed every season by hunters by stray bullets.

We should have more - not fewer - wolves! Sweden has few wolves in comparison with other EU countries. Spain and Greece are 20 - 30 times as dense as the wolf Sweden! The quest should be to get as large and as viable wolf population that is not in danger of extinction, once must be hunted. The wolf is too many people, a charismatic animal and a tourist attraction that can generate jobs and money to rural areas. We recognize that race is driving this winter. 27 wolves will be shot. At least, since nobody can predict what will happen when 12,000 hunters are shooting clear. This is an unacceptable political stupidity completely without scientific basis. The government must be held accountable both in the public debate before the EU court, where we are now in order for hunting on our endangered wolves.

Ann Dahlerus is secretary general of the Swedish Society for Predators.
Kristian Bernstone is responsible region of Västra Götaland.

Urgent: Please sign this petition letter to Sweden´s minister of environment!

2010-01-12T12:24:00.005+01:00

Please help Swedish wolves! Take Action NOW. Go to: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/38/stop-the-killing-of-wolves-in-sweden and sign it.

Here is the petition letter for you to read and see some of the important facts and arguments:

Protest the Killing of Wolves in Sweden

Target: Andreas Carlgren (Sweden's Minister of the Environment)

It was chaos - Recent wolf hunt in Sweden criticized for bad organization

2010-01-12T01:24:00.005+01:00

Hunters were criticized for not only poor organisation, but also for overshooting the quota, and injuring many wolves, and killing them only after an extra tracking.

Over 12000 hunters were calling authorities and sending messages, to report how many wolves were shot and to find out how many are yet to be killed. In many areas was obviously no signal for cellular phones.

25 out of 27 allowed wovles were shot during the first two days of the licensed hunt.

Read the article below, from one of Sweden´s largest newspapers, the Aftonbladet.

And here is one of the first counts of wolves "down".
Published in Aftonbladet on January 4, 2010:

Gävleborgs county: 1 from allowed 3 wolves shot.
Dalarnas county: 10 wolves shot (one over the quota)
Örebro county: 2 of 3 wolves shot
Värmlands county: 9 of 9 shot
Västra Götaland: 3 of 3 wolves shot

Source: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article6376903.ab (in Swedish)

Swedish January 2010 Wolf Massacre in Pictures

2010-01-11T23:46:00.007+01:00

The first January weekend (Jan 2-4th) turned into a massacre, which shocked the whole world. The first Swedish licenced wolf hunt in many years, has gotten out of hands.

In the first two days, during which over 12500 hunters went out and killed 25 out of 27 alowed wolves, as a result of Swedish government´s legalized slaughter.

Wolves belong to the endangered species. There is less than 300 of them in the whole large, underpopulated country of Sweden. Yet, the decision makers have come up with a quoata, that needs to be destroyed this year. And the minister of environment already said today to the press, that they already plan to do so next year as well.

I am totally disgusted by this brutal act of Sweden. A country I always thought cared for the environment. A country, which considered itself among the leaders in questions of conservation.

The following pictures are not recommended for children and sensitive people.

Big, healthy looking wolves, killed.

Proud hunter, showing off his trophy

Picture, that shocked the whole country. Dieing wolf, in pain and agony.

How can this be colled a regulated hunt, when the hunters clearly show no mercy and take pictures of the struggling animals, instead of aiming for a clear shot and quick death?!!

Official statistics information from the Swedish hunting association talks about several wolves being shot, but had to be searched and "finished off" later, some after as long as 2 days!!!

One wolf was described as "shot, died after half hour" - the statistics will be publish in one of the following posts for proof of evidence.

Wolf puppies- 8 months old, killed in Siljansnäs, Dalarna region.

"It was a big excitement among people in Siljansnäs, to have a look at the dead wolves", says the text under this photo, in Dalarnas Tidningen paper.

I found this text under this photo, from a hunting discussion forum : "why is there no blood in the wolf´s mouth? Because he was holding a deer he just murdered."

People all excited about the dead beast.

Hunter taking photos of his easy trophy.

100-200% more dogs killed by hunters annually, than by wolves

2010-01-11T23:40:00.000+01:00

One of the biggest arguments against wolves in Sweden, is that they kill many dogs each year, and are dangerous.

But statistics from Agria, Sweden´s largest insurance company, which insures about 70% of Swedish dogs, show different information.

Read the following excerpt (google translated):

Hunters shot 135 dogs January 3, 2010

135 dogs killed by hunters annually. One or two people shot to death each year by hunters.
That is 100-200% more than what the woves are said to have killed.each year.

The fact is that wolves are not attacking people in Sweden for two hundred years.

Consequently, people are afraid to go out into the woods because of wolves.

According to Agria, about 30 dogs were killed by wolves during 2008. About 135 dogs were injured or killed by stray bullet according to figures from 2006 from Agria Animal Insurance. A total of 7508 dogs were killed between 2000-2005).

This is a clear proof that wolves are being blamed, to justify the legalization of wolf hunting.

Read full article here (in Swedish):
http://badlandshyena.wordpress.com/2010/01/03/jagare-skot-135-hundar/

An open letter to Swedish prime minister

2010-01-11T23:30:00.003+01:00

Dear Mr.Reinfeldt,

I would like to express my huge dissapointment at the Swedish government´s decision to legalize the killing of wolves.

Did you know that wolves are one of the world´s most endangered species?And that they do not cause any unbalance in the nature? Our human race causes a huge unbalance in nature and make lives of animals and plants more and more dificult over the centuries.

Your government says that wolves are "over quota" in Sweden, but it is my understanding based upon facts, that they are only in packs in some areas. If that is the reason, as your goverment states it, to kill them, it is absurde, inhumane and unwise.

The over quota animals can be moved to another location, for example further north, where we have barely any wolves and where they can roam free, without endangering humans and their dogs, as you state as a reason for their slaughter. They can be also moved to other countries, where they have no success in placing wolves back to the wild.

The same applies for another argument of your government, that there is a danger of inbreeding. If there was a real interest and concern on your side, you would make exchange program of animals to and from other coutnries, to make the packs healthier. You would invite and consult world´s specialists in wolves, conservation and environment, not just hunters.
But you very well know, that it is not your concern.

It is very dissapointing to see this happening in a country which calls itself the world leader in environmental and ecological matters.

If you want to set a good example for the world, I suggest to you to reconsider the facts, and your decisions about the wildlife management.

I know that my letter will most likely not even be read by you, but I want you to know that there are many people out there, who are unsatisfied by your decisions and these people are your voters, including myself.

And we will not support a government which makes such bad choices.

I urge you to reconsider your decision in the matter of legalized killing of wolves.

It is not my letter or my person that matters, but it is our plant that does.

Sincerly,
Katerina Paleckova Strömsund, Sweden

Help to stop the senseless killing of wolves in Sweden, please! They need all our help!
Please, let´s not be mute and tell the government what we think and what we don´t want. It is in our hands. Let´s stop the killing of wolves in Sweden! They are one of the world´s endangered species!

Write the Swedish prime minister:

Fredrik Reinfeldt, StatsministerT
Telefon work 08-405 10 00
Email Fredrik Reinfeldt, via registrator

More contacts to the Sweidsh government: http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/3051

Just a little statistics...

2010-01-11T22:21:00.003+01:00

About 200+ wolves inhibit entire Sweden.

Romania: 2500-3000 on the land half the size of Sweden.

Italy: 600 wolves in country with 60 millions of people and 60% of size of Sweden.

USA - Minnesota: 2500 wolves in teritory half the size of Sweden.

WHY do we have to cull 10% of the tiny wolf population in Sweden??!!

Source: http://www.rovdjur.se/ (Swedish Wildlife organisation)

"The Wolf Letters" - About the legalized wolf hunt in Sweden

2010-01-11T14:52:00.008+01:00

From Bevara och Skydda Vargen - Save and Protect the Wolves group:

"The wolf letters" Saturday Jan 2, 2010 02:10

Dear wolf members,

This is the last letter that i am writing just HOURS before the winter sun rises and a horrible day in swedens history will begin.

The first official hunt for our nations beautiful and peaceful WOLF is to start for the first time in 45 years.

SKK ( Swedish Kennel Club) supports this decision based on data collected from hunting dog accidents that were so wrong and blownout of proportion that not even AGRIA ( Animal Insurance ) could confirm any of the claims. In contrary they in many accidents concerning dogs said wild boars (wildsvin) must have caused damage. But the hunters would rather have TROFÈ hunt for wolf!

A small population of some 230 wolf already affected by illegal hunters, trappers, and animal haters is planned to be ”lowered” in count by 10% to still the large hunting lobbyist groups wanting the forrests free of any animal that will compete with their SPORT shooting. 27 wolf will lawfully die but we fear massive overshooting and secondary death due to incompetens and/or identification problems choosing a target by the many hunters.

This IS the bare and naked truth everyone.. Just read and look at the published facts ! And help us stop it..

9 million Swedes- 12,000 armed hunters and some 220 Wolfs,

It just feels wrong wrong wrong !

As we are growing in members our main objective still remains the same. To STOP the LICENSE HUNT as SOON AS POSSIBLE !

We do NOT accept TROFE` hunting for wolf.

In this day and age a ”sollution” should not become the problem.

THIS LICENSEHUNT IS ILLEGAL AND BREAKS EVERY WILDLIFE LAWS IN THE EU. THE WOLF IS AN ENDANGERED ANIMAL !

Founded by bad information and questionable data government people have made premature decisions based on WRONG facts..

THIS IS A TROFÈ HUNT.. STOP IT NOW !

Read how you can help the Swedish wolves here.

Swedish government aproved the first official wolf hunt in 45 years

2010-01-11T00:28:00.005+01:00

Over 12000 (!) hunters applied for licence to kill 27 wolves, a quota the Swedish government set to be taken down in 2010. The hunt started on January 2, 2010.

There are around 280-300 wolves living in the entire large country of Sweden. A country with vast spaces, thousands of acres of forrest, mountains and wilderness, and quite low human popoulation.

Yet, the government decided that the wolf population needs to be eliminated to about 210 wolves.

Why?

There are two official reasons, the government keeps repeating:

A) wolves in Sweden are inbred (?!)

B) wolves killing too many dogs and being dangerous to humans and animals

This absurd statement is absolutly contrary to the knowledge of conservationalists, biologists, and other experts.

Wolves are generally internationally considered as endangered species. They are very important for keeping of the balance in the ecosystem.

The hunt was planned long in advance, and wolf packs and individuals have been tracked, in order to start an immediate hunt on January 2nd.

Here is one of the many reactions from upset people, who cannot understand this bad decision:

"Today is the second day of the new year and most likely the very last for a large amount of the Swedish wolf. When the sun rises in only a couple of hours the License law comes into affect and the many thousands of very well prepared and brave TROFÈ hunters, that have planned for this like an military operation, set off to their destined placed to KILL our precious and non suspecting animals in the wilderness. What a way to start off a New Year !"

Where is the famous Swedish conservationalism and leadership in care for the environment?!

Some Quick Links to Take Action

2010-01-10T22:59:00.001+01:00

Here is a link to a few interesting resources, with the link to the petition sites, I urge you to read and sign (it is in English):

NOTE: As more new groups, websites, blogs, petitions sites and information is created, I will be updating this list of links as much as possible. All the new links will be marked with the red prefix "NEW!".

Stop Further Killing of the Swedish Wolf! -- NEW!

Stop the Killing of Wolves in Sweden - petition site

Save and Protect the Wolves (Bevara och Skydda Vargen) - Very active group, with many ideas for taking action -- highly recommended!

Lat Vargen Leva (Let Wolves Live) - protest list to the Swedish ministry of environment - print it out and gather as many signatures as you can, also other petition ideas, contacts to government officials and more

Read the article "Swedish Fund for Bio Diversity finances wolf hunting" - and please vote NO in the poll "is it right to finance wolf hunting from this fund" (Är det rätt att finansiera vargjakt med anslag till biologisk mångfald?), on the bottom of the page

Swedish Radio International - News in Swedish and English - many good articles on the topic

Vote No to wolf hunt in Sweden - petition to the ministery of environment

Svenska Rovdjurforeningen - Swedish Wildlife Association - scientific articles based on facts, official petition lists that will be presented to the government through this strong organisation

Protect the Scandinavian Wolf - (Våga Värna Varg) -- To restore, protect and preserve the Scandinavian wolf - large Facebook group, with lots of action

Vote for Wolves! - on "Expressen"

Save the Wolves - Petition, over 22000 people signed - be one of us!

Nej Till Vargjagt (No to Wolf Hunt) - Facebook group

Vargens Tid - A blog which covers all of the topic of wolf hunting in Sweden - great articles!

Rovdjursnätwerket - Wildlife Network (Swedish)

WWF Sweden - article about the wolf hunt, links to Swedish Wildlife organisations, and more

WWF - World Wildlife Fund´s International website - learn how you can help to protect endangeret species and how to help OUR planet. You can donate and "sponsor" grey wolves on this site as well.

Why Should We Save Wolves?

2010-01-10T22:55:00.000+01:00

For most of human history, we haven’t needed to concern ourselves about sustaining the web of life. But today, for the first time since the extinction of the dinosaurs sixty-five million years ago, we’re losing species faster than nature can create new ones. And that’s because of our relentless population
growth and development of modern technologies ever more capable of altering the natural world.

Given current trends, it is estimated that by the time a child born today reaches his or her 30th birthday, one of every five current species on Earth will be either doomed or already extinct. After that, if present trends continue, the prospect will worsen.

Because the wolf has endured such a long history of persecution, the campaign to reverse the government’s policies toward wolves makes that cause into a symbol of the larger struggle to upgrade our society’s overall wildlife conservation values. If our society can alter its attitudes and policies toward the wolf, then widespread adoption of a more beneficial conservation ethic shouldn’t be far behind.

We should save wolves because it’s good for the wolf, it helps establish a conservation ethic that can save other imperiled species–and it’s good for the environment our children will inherit.

Text reposted from Defenders of Wildlife - www.defenders.org

Welcome to Wolf Howl - Blog for the Wolves

2010-01-10T22:50:00.008+01:00

In the tragedy of the first days of the new year, that struck the wolf kind in Sweden (and about which you will be able to read more in detail gradually), I managed to actually find something positive.

Something incredibly positive, as a matter of fact. A group of people, thousands of people, actually, who stick together and fight with passion for the same cause - for our beloved species of wolves.
And not just in Sweden, but around the globe.

And between the sorrow of the losses, the shock of the senseless brutal killing, and the hope that arise between wolf lovers and supporters worldwide, I found inspiration and motivation. And mainly, I´ve heared the call. The call for the mission to help open more human eyes and hearts, to correct myths that have been surrounding the wolf kind for thousands of years, creating lots of missunderstanding, about these magnificent, noble beings.

On these pages you will find contacts to organisations that help save and protect wolves. You will also find numerous links to blogs with related topics, petition sites, newspaper articles, radio, tv and other media coverage of the wolf problematique, and more.

You will learn how you can help save and protect wolves worldwide, from taking actions, virtually adopting wolves, buying items to fundraise for science and wildlife protection, etc.

We also created "DID YOU KNOW..." special educational section, with facts, statistics and information about this, one of the world´s greatest animal - the Canis Lupus (Grey Wolf).
It will be updated gradually, as this blog is still a work in progress.

There is one specialty about this blog - you will often find links, comments and texts not just in English, but also in Czech and Swedish languages, as this blog is dedicated to helping wolves around the world.

We hope you will enjoy reading Wolf Howl and keep comming back. If you do like it, please spread the word and link to us or share the news with your friends. You can also share the individual blog posts on your Facebook profiles, using simple "share" links under each post.

We also welcome any tips for news, links, photos and other useful information, related to helping wolves. You can use the "comment" buttons to share your thoughts, opinions or ideas.

Once again - welcome to The Blog for Wolves, their very own cyber space, which no human can take away from them, and where we will do all we can to justify, save and help protect their very special species!

Katerina

We shan't save all we should like to, but we shall save a great deal more than if we had never tried.
-- Sir Peter Scott (1909-1989), WWF founder