He wants to stop the hunt for lynx: "It is a protected animal"

During this year's license hunt for lynx, eight lynx were shot in Kalmar County.

The same number were killed in Jönköping and in Kronoberg four lynx were killed. 

Next year's hunting season is just around the corner, and then the Swedish Predator Association appeals to the Småland governors (who are the ones who formally decide whether to allow licensed hunting or not) to decide that there will be no lynx hunting here in 2022.

Protected animal

- The lynx is basically a protected species, it is protected, and it was already when we joined the EU.

And it is still a strictly protected species according to EU directives and through our own legislation, says Robert Franzén who is regional manager for the Swedish Predator Association in Småland / Öland. 

The lynx population is growing stronger in Götaland and in the counties of Småland.

In Kalmar County, for example, the lynx was basically extinct just 20 years ago.

Today, there are about 60 individuals in the county, estimates the county administrative board, which makes annual inventories.

Small impact on domestic animals

One argument put forward for keeping the lynx population down is that they attack the domestic animals. 

- The damage is very, very small, and much less than was feared when the lynx began to expand.

In Kalmar County 2020, there are three dead sheep and the year before there was not a single one, says Robert Franzén. 

The statistics come from SLU - the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences - and it looks similar for the other Småland counties.

In Jönköping, 10 sheep were killed by lynx in 2020 and four in 2019. Kronoberg's figures are five and one respectively. 

- The animal owners are also compensated for this, says Robert Franzén.

Kronoberg has said no to hunting

Robert Franzén also points out that the county administrative boards pay millions in grants to landowners to be able to fence off predators, among other things. 

Kronoberg County has already announced that there will be no licensed hunting for lynx in 2022. In Kalmar and Jönköping County, a decision will be made at the beginning of December.