180 hunters kill one Wolf pack in Norway
Viewer discretion recommended: Some of the images in this article might be disturbing for younger audiences.
On New Years Eve 2019, the Ministry of Climate and the Environment allowed the shooting of all the wolves of a wolf pack in the Letjenna area. At the same time, the Ministry prevented the real possibility of judicial review by publishing the decision at the last moment before the start of the hunt, so that it became impossible to request for temporary injunction.
Please also read: How Spain Brutally Reduces Its Wolf Population
Four of the six wolves in the Letjennareviret in Elverum in Hedmark were shot on January 1st 2020, which was also the first day of the license hunt.
At midnight on January 1st, around 30 hunters started setting up 17 km of flag lines to ring the wolves in, and by 12 o’clock on 1 January, four wolves were killed. The hunters knew the location of the wolf pack since all lead wolves are radio collared.
The hunters told the Norwegian newspaper VG that that they had been planning for the hunt for 2 and a half months beforehand. He specified that the wolves want to avoid the flag line and the hunters entered the confined area where the wolves were located and then pushed them towards the edge of the ring where the hunters were ready to shoot them. Around 180 hunters participated in the hunt.
NOAH, the Norwegian NGO, reacts to the fact that there is no real opportunity to save the wolf pack within the zone by legal action:
NOAH immediately asked the Ministry to stop the hunt, because we want to take out temporary injunction. If the Ministry does not do so, they will prevent the democratic possibility of having the legality of the decision tried before the wolves are shot. NOAH will then proceed with legal action because we now see that a dangerous precedent for shooting in the wolf zone is created without the requirements of the law being met.
Time and again, NOAH has reminded politicians that the population target itself cannot justify the killing wolves, since there is no such legal basis in the Nature Diversity Act.
This highly problematic practice started with the shooting of the Slettås wolf pack last year. The state went beyond the boundaries set by the Nature Diversity Act and the Bern Convention. Decision on the shooting of the Letjenna pack show that the state now arbitrarily condemns entire wolf families to death simply because they are wolves. The Ministry has justified the shooting of yet another wolf family within the wolf zone by the need to “alleviate conflict” – without considering the side of the conflict that wants stronger protection of wild animals. It is neither a secret that the government aims to keep the wolf population at a politically determined level that is equivalent to maintaining the wolf in Norway at a critically endangered status. This is very alarming, especially when the government allows killing wolves in an area where the wolf should take precedence over other interests. It is the political game of power that requires wolf blood.
NOAH will go to court with a request to review the legality of the current decision on the shooting Letjenna-wolves in the wolf zone and also the decision from last year concerning Slettås-pack, regardless of whether we are given the opportunity to halt the hunt by interim injunction – which now looks questionable.
This information is from the Press Release of NOAH.
Disgusted. Again. I had been planning to holiday in Norway but not now. There MUST be consequences for such action.
M O R O N S
They did this last year as well, I am not proud to be an Norwegian anymore
What you can do is share the post.. to show to the world what is happening in Norway.
The worst thing is that there was absolutely no reason to kill this wolf family. It was a stable pack that had lived for years in the vicinity without causing any problems.
The only reason that they were shot was that some killers (I won’t even call them hunters!) get a kick out of shooting rare and precious predators.
…and here was I thinking that Norway was progressive, concerned with the environment and taking care if it’s inhabitants. Turns out they have the same mentally repugnant individuals who enjoy killing things as the rest of the world. . It disgusts me.
This is repulsive . Sure those people will burn in hell but they need to be punished here and now
I would rather the hunters shut themselves- we have more than enough idiots on this planet, the majestic animals will vanish and for what reason? I have the lowest opinion about Norway now I will never set foot in that country.
It doesn’t matter where you live, government does not care about any animal.
This wolf hunt is a real black mark against Norway, a country which still has a significant wilderness territory where creatures like the wolf should be able to live and survive without the senseless killings by ignorant humans. Shame on the Norwegian government for not having the fortitude to stand up to a few lame-brain sheep farmers.
So disgusted with some humans. Juval Noah Harari says, that only humans and their cattle will be left on the planet in the end … sadly, he might be right. I won’t go down without fighting for animals, though! Please join the Animal Rights movement, now! Also, Please join in to save the wolves of British Columbia, https://pacificwild.org/make-a-difference/join-the-call/
As a Canadian I don’t say Norway is worse than the USA or Canada. We are divided between hunting and non hunting of wild life. The people of wealth and power control many government decisions. This is one of many. We need to fight for what’s morally correct whoever, whenever and wherever we can.
Why all this meaningless menace for the wolf? It makes no sense..it took decades to be back in the wild after all the hunt literally century ago, and here we are again..civilized this time…..yeah right!!mankind it’s THE only beast on this planet..good luck to all of us and our children..
Spread the posting. We are updating it continuously and just received new photos which will be uploaded in the next days.
Good point Olga.
Horribly disappointed with the lack of attn on this matter..should been exposed virally, prior to killings.
SHAME ON YOU NORWAY..let the world know what you have done to endangered, near extinction wildlife.
Heartbreaking on every level. Is there a petition that can be signed for the Wildlife Management Department of Norway? They need to know that the entire world watched this hunt in horror!
This is a very tragic incident that should never have happened. The fact that the government allowed this is so disgusting. It’s sad. This wasn’t hunting. 180 humans againsr a small wolf pack!!! Omg! It is disgraceful..disgraceful!!!’ Shame on these so called hunters and SHAME ON NORWAY!
Please note that the majority of Norwegians are dead against this… the hunters are mainly sheep farmers in the rural parts of our country. They want to eliminate all predators here to protect their free roaming live stock, instead of hearding them… it’s a huge political issue – and we try our best to fight the powers every day! It truly is heartbreaking to see these poor animals!
Believe me, a lot of us Norwegians hate this meaningless and despicable killing, but unfortunately the government apparently don’t care about wild animals. If government and many farmers get their way, all wild predators in this country will be hunted down…
Jäger sind nutzlose Barbaren die Spass und Freude am Töten haben.Für mich sind es Verbrecher der übelsten Sorte.
Who are the real killers???? It’s the human hunters!! What gives humans this right???? Humans should not have killing rites over an innocent animal. These hunters are just glorified KILLERS!! Stop this!!!
One of the easiest way, is to share the post with all your friends. The more people know about this genocide the more pressure is built up. We will post more details and they need to be spread to as wide as an audience as well. The Norwegian Government fears publicity, which is why the issued the court order on the 31.12. for the killing to start at midnight 1.1.2020…
Excellent idea. How could it be done?
I would love to contribute in this struggle against prejudice and indiscriminate killing of wolves. What about a coordinated action to discourage tourism in Norway? And make shore the government knows about it?