| Summary: | Monitoring goals and methods: Wolves in Sweden and Norway form a joint cross-boundary Scandinavian wolf population. In both countries, the wolf population is being monitored each winter. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Norwegian Environment Agency have joint Scandinavian guidelines and instructions for monitoring of wolves; these guidelines have been used since winter 2014-2015. Numbers, distribution and trends in the wolf population in Scandinavia are primarily determined through a survey of family groups, scent-marking pairs and reproductions during 1 October - 31 March. The survey of wolves is done mainly through snow-tracking and collection of scats, urine and hair for DNA-analyses. Information from camera-traps, GPS-collars, other research data and dead wolves are used when available. The County Administrative Boards in Sweden and the Norwegian Nature Inspectorate (SNO) together with Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences are responsible for collecting field data. They also confirm reports of tracks and other observations by the public. For the wolf monitoring, contributions from the public are very important. Number of family groups and scent-marking pairs: During winter 2022-2023, 49 family groups were documented in Scandinavia; 40 within Sweden, six across the Norwegian-Swedish border and three within Norway. 36 territorial pairs were confirmed; 29 within Sweden, three across the border and four within Norway. Population size: Using the same method as last winter and based on the number of reproductions (the number of reproductions is multiplied by 10), Scandinavian wolf numbers were estimated to 510 (95% CI = 403-663). The Swedish sub-population was estimated to 450 wolves (95% CI = 356-585), including half of the cross-boundary wolves. The calculations include both alive and dead wolves during the monitoring period. In the smaller Norwegian sub-population 66-68 wolves were counted in the field, including half of the 46-48 cross-boundary wolves and 43-44 wolves confirmed only ...
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