In Spain, the Eurasian lynx holds status as a highly protected species, with stiff penalties, including fines and potential jail time, for harming any individual. Yet in Sweden, policy recently shifted: the government authorized hunting of 201 lynx, a quota that more than doubled the previous year. The decision followed a formal ratification a few weeks earlier. It marked one of the most controversial actions in recent wildlife policy.
The move surprised both experts and many citizens, who argued that lynxes pose little threat to people or livestock, and that hunting is pursued primarily for trophies. The Svenska Jägareförbundet, the Swedish hunting association, told a major newspaper that the hunt was not justified by any danger to humans, and that there are no documented cases of wolves attacking people in modern Sweden. They added that lynx hunting appears driven by sport and, for some, the fur is an additional incentive.
Image note: the Eurasian lynx image is labeled verified.
The Eurasian lynx ranks as Europe’s third-largest predator after the brown bear and the wolf, and it is one of the most broadly distributed wild cats on the continent.
Despite a history of decline due to food shortages, inbreeding, habitat loss, vehicle collisions, and fur hunting, lynx populations have rebounded in many areas thanks to conservation work. Still, the species remains critically endangered in parts of its range and faces ongoing pressures that threaten long-term survival.
Recent data show that in France the lynx population is estimated at about 120 to 150 adults, with genetic analyses indicating very low diversity. Scientists warn that without measures to restore genetic variation, the species could be at risk of extinction in the country within about three decades. The French population has been described as genetically akin to an effective population of roughly 38 individuals. By contrast, Sweden is estimated to host around 1,450 lynxes, though this figure is far from ten years ago and has declined significantly.
Image note: another lynx image credit is listed as Alamy.
According to the animal rights group Svenska Rovdjursföreningen, the new hunting quota is seen as unethical and unsustainable. They argue that the hunt begins during the lynx’s short mating season and could violate the EU Habitats Directive. Critics note that dogs are used to flush lynxes from hiding and drive them into trees where they become easier targets.
The lynx is noted as Sweden’s most popular carnivore by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and Svenska Rovdjursföreningen has launched a campaign aiming to end this trophy hunting practice.
Also hunting wolves
Early in the year, wolf hunting began in the same country, despite clear threats to the population. A quota of 75 wolves was approved, marking the highest number allowed since wolves disappeared from Sweden in the 1960s.
Wolves were introduced in the modern era by the arrival of three individuals from Finland and Russia and the birth of the first cub in 1983. Since then, the wolf population has grown, reaching about 460 animals in the latest census reported by Le Monde for the winter of 2021-2022. Some hunters and breeders groups say that even this population is too large and that the allowed cull will not be enough to manage it.
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