After more than fifty years of almost total protection, Finland has decided to reauthorize regulated wolf hunting starting from the beginning of 2026. The choice arises from the declared need to contain a rapidly growing population and to reduce conflicts with breeders, hunters and rural communities. The provision was approved by Parliament and substantially modifies the previous approach based on only exceptional reductions.
Already 12 wolves killed on the first day
Changes to the Finnish Hunting Act provide for a limited and strictly controlled season. The proposed period runs from 1 January to 10 February 2026, with a final confirmation entrusted to the competent authorities. Wolf hunting will be permitted exclusively through special permits, issued on a regional basis by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. According to government estimates, at least 65 wolves could be killed during the winter with 12 already killed on the first day alone. Each intervention must respect strict quotas, with strict controls and severe sanctions in case of violations.
A rapidly increasing population
The basis of the decision is the evolution of the numbers. Official data indicates that there were around 430 wolves living in Finland in March 2025, an increase of around 46% compared to the previous year. The growth was particularly evident in the south-west of the country, favored by the availability of prey and cross-border migration. Experts point out that spring births could have further increased the population by the end of 2025, increasing pressure on the territory.
Growing conflicts in rural areas
The return of hunting is also motivated by the increase in economic and social damage. In recent years there has been a sharp increase in reindeer predation, with around 2,000 animals killed in a single year. Added to this are the losses of livestock and frequent attacks on hunting dogs, a particularly sensitive issue for local communities. The presence of wolves near villages and farms has fueled calls for more active control.
But this is not the solution
Nobody denies the existence of these problems. However, responding with slaughter is not and cannot be the only way. Authorizing the culling of at least 65 wolves in a single season risks returning the species to a new phase of fragility, just as it was showing signs of recovery. Environmentalists point out that a truly stable population should exceed 500 individuals to ensure adequate genetic diversity.
Prevention tools exist, such as electrified fences, guard dogs, monitoring systems and more effective economic compensation. Investing in these measures would be much more consistent with a policy that truly wants to reconcile human security and nature protection.
Europe and the risk of taking a step backwards
The recent review of the protection status of the wolf at European level has paved the way for more permissive policies by granting greater flexibility to Member States. But more flexibility should not mean less protection. Finnish authorities argue that regulated hunting is compatible with EU law, but allowing regulated hunting sends a dangerous message: when a species recovers, it can again be sacrificed for political expediency or local pressure. It’s an approach that contradicts decades of conservation efforts.
The wolf is not a problem to be eliminated, but an ecological resource to be understood and protected. Turning it into a legal target risks rekindling ancestral fears and legitimizing violence against wildlife. If we want a future in which man coexists with nature, the path cannot be that of guns, but that of responsible cohabitation.
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