Sweden has approved one of its harshest wolf hunts in years — allowing up to 48 wolves to be shot between 2 January and 15 February 2026.
For a country with only around 350 wolves left, that number is staggering.
The government has quietly lowered its “desired” population from 300 down to 170 wolves — a target many biologists say is far too low to keep the population genetically healthy. The goal is clear: fewer wolves, whatever the cost.
The 2026 hunt will take place across nine territories in five counties, targeting entire family groups. Meanwhile, Värmland, once a stronghold for wolves, has been removed from the hunt not because it’s thriving — but because its wolf numbers have already plunged after years of pressure.
Officials blame “conflicts,” yet most livestock attacks remain preventable with proper protection, and illegal killings still go largely unpunished. Conservationists warn that Sweden is slowly carving away one of Europe’s smallest wolf populations — and calling it “management.”
And with the EU now considering downgrading wolves from “strictly protected” to simply “protected,” these culls could soon become even easier to justify.
Forty-eight wolves. Packs with names. Territories with histories. Family groups that raise pups, mourn losses, and shape entire ecosystems.
This isn’t just numbers on a quota sheet.
It’s lives.
And Sweden is running out of them.
Here’s a petition you can sign if you are a Swedish resident
Protect Sweden’s Endangered Wolves – Stop the cull
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