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

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

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

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.

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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

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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.

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

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.

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Live from Kolmarden Animal Park - Meet and Watch the Wolves

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.

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Demonstration for the wolves and against wolf hunting in Göteborg

--- 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!

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Remembering...

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.

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

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.

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