The wolf hunting season begins on 15 July 2022. The State Forest Service has set a permissible cull quota of 280 animals. The status of the wolf population in Latvia is stable, and hunting does not negatively affect it.

The wolf (Canis lupus) is one of the most thoroughly researched game species in Latvia. Every year, the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava” conducts a study titled “Changes in the state of large predator populations as a result of hunting,” while background monitoring as part of population status assessment is provided by the State Forest Service.

“The State Forest Service possesses more than 20 years of collected and analysed information on the wolf population, which allows for an objective assessment of changes and trends in the wolf population in both the short and long term. Data on wolf distribution, population dynamics, demographic and kinship structure, the state of genetic diversity, the state of wild ungulate populations, the frequency of attacks on livestock, the fulfilment of the previous year’s limit and hunting pressure allow us to reasonably conclude that the state of the wolf population is favourable and stable, and there are no detectable signs of the wolf population deteriorating due to hunting,” notes Valters Lūsis, Head of the Hunting Department at the State Forest Service.

The wolf is a game species in Latvia for which the Hunting Law and Hunting Regulations set strict conditions for extraction in limited numbers. Based on data from the assessment of the state of game animal populations, the State Forest Service sets a permissible wolf cull quota in hunting areas each year. In the last five hunting seasons, the permissible wolf cull quota was 280 animals, and it was fully utilised before the end of the specified wolf hunting period.

The State Forest Service has also set a permissible wolf cull quota of 280 animals for the 2022/2023 hunting season, while retaining the right to reduce or increase this number in accordance with data on the state of the wolf population obtained during the hunting season. The wolf hunting season will last until the specified cull quota is exhausted, but no later than 31 March 2023.

Setting a wolf hunting limit is also necessary when considering the needs of rural residents and respecting the interests of farmers. Every year, wolves attack livestock, causing financial losses to farmers. Up to 11 July this year, the State Forest Service has received reports of 24 confirmed wolf attacks. During the same period last year, the service received information on 13 confirmed wolf attacks. Hunting ensures that damage to livestock is kept to a minimum, and allows rural residents to feel more comfortable and secure while living alongside the wolf population.
Pixabay photograph used