Registered mortality of large carnivores, 1999/2000

Most of the wolverines were shot in connection with licensed hunting, with 22 animals felled that way. Eighteen of the animals were felled in northern Norway, and the remaining four in southern Norway. Most wolverines were shot in Finnmark County, where 7 met their end [corrected 22.01.2001]. The wolverine boards in southern and northern Norway set a total quota of 48 wolverines prior to last winter's licensed hunting. Thirty-three of the licences were reserved for northern Norway and 15 for southern Norway. Outside ordinary licenced hunting seven wolverines were shot as vermin, one was felled illegally and one was killed by a car.

Stable

For the other predators and eagles, the reduction was about the same as in previous years. Five bears, two wolves and 54 eagles were reported killed or had died in other ways. Three of the bears were shot as vermin, one was killed by a train and one was shot in self-defence. Both wolves were hit by trains. Three wolf-canine hybrids were also shot in Østfold County.

Quota hunting of lynx

For the 1999/2000 hunting year, 140 lynx licences were issued, and altogether 95 animals were shot. In addition, five lynx were run over by cars, and one died of other causes. A number of counties reported high kill percentages. One reason can be that hunters are well experienced in hunting lynx and therefore hunt efficiently. In Nordland County, 20 out of a quota of 22 lynx were shot, making it the No. 1 county in number of lynx shot. Hedmark and Buskerud also reported nearly equal kill rates. In Hedmark 12 of 14 animals were shot, and in Buskerud 10 of 12.

Tables:

• Table 1 Big predators and eagles. Registered decrease, by cause. 1990/2000