Sweden's big five

Sweden’s large carnivores are in immediate danger. Despite their “Strictly protected” status within the EU. Lynx, bear, wolf, and wolverine are now aggressively hunted by humans, the country’s fifth large carnivore species. Guns first, instead of preventive measures. A small minority of Swedes drive this agenda, supported by a far too willing government. The EU is now at high risk of following the same destructive path.

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Brown bear

Why now?

In 2025, lots of lynx, wolves, bears and wolverines will be killed in Sweden, under different labels such as licensed, quota, protective and illegal hunting. Over the last 100 years, Sweden’s large carnivores came back from the brink of extinction. The government policy is now shifting to “As few carnivores as possible”. Carnivores will “legally” be hunted down to their lowest minimum viable population size or even lower. Unfortunately, the EU decided in 2025 to move the wolf from the category “strictly protected” to “protected” in the Habitats Directive. Sweden has been a driving force in this, and the Swedish government also decided in August 2025 that the favorable conservation status for the wolf in Sweden should be 170 wolves, down from the previous level of 300.

Why Sweden's Big Five?

Because large carnivores are irreplaceable in nature. They play a vital top-down role in naturally working ecosystems. Carnivores are icons of our natural history and heritage. Charismatic animals that bring many more opportunities than challenges. Sweden’s Big Five is a project aiming to provide news, facts, story ideas, images, and videos, to decision makers and media professionals. Showing ways how to live side by side with our large carnivores, instead of randomly founded killing quotas.

Timeline & calendar

Important carnivore news dates

Latest News

Fresh from the field

Hundreds of millions wasted on culling wolf population

Hundreds of millions wasted on culling wolf population

The swedish government is not skimping on funds when it comes to reducing the wolf population to a record low and scientifically questionable number of only 170 individuals. Over the next three years, more than 338 million Swedish kronor will be spent on minimising the wolf population. In other respects, however, the government is stingy with investments in nature and the environment. The environmental budget has been cut by four billion since the government took office in 2022, and the reduction is even greater in practice when inflation is taken into account.
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Podcast well worth listening to

Podcast well worth listening to

"The governement in Sweden has changed. Right now we have a governement that is committed…
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250,000 Swedish kronor reward for tips on illegal hunting of large predators

250,000 Swedish kronor reward for tips on illegal hunting of large predators

The Swedish Predator Association is offering a reward of 250,000 Swedish kronor (almost 23 000 euro) for tips that lead to a conviction for hunting crimes against large predators, resulting in imprisonment. Illegal hunting is currently one of the greatest threats to Sweden's large predators – especially the wolf. Illegal hunting also constitutes a serious blow to both biodiversity and public confidence in the rule of law. To combat this, the Swedish Predator Association is now taking a powerful and historic initiative and offering a reward of SEK 250,000 (almost 23 000 euro) to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and imprisonment of someone for serious hunting offences or serious poaching of our large predators.
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124 swedish bears shot on the first day of hunting

124 swedish bears shot on the first day of hunting

Licensed bear hunting began on 21 August, and on the first day alone, over 115 bears were killed. Nearly 2,000 bait stations with food laid out to attract the bears make hunting very easy in many places. This year's licensed bear hunt in Sweden allows for 465 bears to be shot. As in previous years, the hunt is proceeding quickly, and after the first day of hunting, over 115 bears had already been killed.
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Sweden prepares for another major bear hunt

Sweden prepares for another major bear hunt

On 21 August, licensed bear hunting will once again commence in Sweden. 465 bears are to be killed in seven counties. A total of 465 bears will be killed in this year’s licensed bear hunt, which begins on 21 August and lasts until 15 October at the latest.The Swedish Predator Association ( Svenska Rovdjursföreningen) has appealed against the licensed hunting of bears in all the counties concerned.
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Big Five Press Image & Video Galleries

Striking visuals for media professionals

Big Five Facts

Meet Sweden’s large carnivores

Lynx

A shy and elusive forest cat. A vital part of Europe’s lynx live in Sweden. These are now threatened by increased trophy hunting.

Wolverine

Rarely seen, with a false reputation of being aggressive. Mainly a scavenger, eating leftovers from the other carnivores’ meals.

Wolf

The wolf lives in families, where each family has their own territory. Wolf myths and folklore abound, since the dawn of story-telling.

Human

Very numerous (99,9% of Sweden’s large carnivores). Charming, clever and dangerous. Kills, eats or makes trophies of other animals.

Bear

A gentle giant, feeding on ants, berries, leaves, meat, carrion or garbage. Bears are becoming valuable assets for wildlife tourism.

Living side by side

These five carnivores have lived in Scandinavia since the Ice age. We explore the many solutions to make co-existence possible today.

Big Five Press Image & Video Galleries

Striking visuals for media professionals

Photo: Staffan Widstrand/Swedensbigfive.org
Photo: Magnus Lundgren/Swedensbigfive.org
Photo: Staffan Widstrand/Swedensbigfive.org
Photo: Staffan Widstrand/Swedensbigfive.org
Photo: Staffan Widstrand/Swedensbigfive.org
Photo: Magnus Lundgren/Swedensbigfive.org
Photo: Staffan Widstrand/Swedensbigfive.org
Photo: Rolf Nyström/Swedensbigfive.org

Carnivore story inspiration

Narratives waiting to be told

Keeping sheep in, predators out

Follow volunteers that help farmers to much better protect their livestock against wolf and lynx.

Trophy hunting of lynx

The questionable licensed lynx hunt starts March 1 in Sweden. A quota of 143 lynx were ”legally” killed in 2024, and 87 lynx in 2025.

Carnivores as money makers

Examples from Sweden and Finland where large carnivores bring business and new job opportunities.

Lynx hunt reported to the EU

Sweden’s excessive lynx hunt was recently reported to the EU Commission. A formal complaint was lodged on March 15, 2024.

Swedes like large carnivores

There is a massive support for the existence of large carnivores in Sweden, according to the latest official attitude survey.

Europe’s environmental bad boy?

It took Sweden’s large carnivores over 50 years to come back. The country is now drastically bringing down their numbers from 300 to 170.

Testimonials

Voices about Sweden’s large carnivores

"We who want large carnivores to exist in our country, need to agree that the costs for damages they cause have to be shared by all of us, not only by some of us".
Johanna Nilsson
Indigenous Sámi and rewilder
"Fencing is a hands-on way to show that we are serious about large predators and animal husbandry living side by side, literally building predator acceptance."
Thord Johansson
Thord Johansson
IT specialist and volunteer fence-builder
“Sweden’s wildlife is iconic but threatened by a disproportionate hunting interest. We need a change in attitude, in favor of co-existence."
Misha Istratov
Misha Istratov
Founder and CEO, Elithus
”One of the great privileges of living in the countryside in Sörmland for more than 20 years, is to have seen both wolf and lynx from my kitchen window.”
Magnus Elander
Magnus Elander
Countryside author & photographer
“Sweden needs to promote co-existence, rather than hunting large carnivores to levels far below long-term viable populations, straight against EU’s Habitat Directive.”
Magnus Orrebrant
Magnus Orrebrant
Swedish Carnivore Association, ex CEO
"We two-legged hunters, who shoot hundreds of thousands of animals, with high-tech weapons, could show more respect to the hunters with only four legs and fangs."
Johan Lewenhaupt
Landowner and hunter
"The Swedish approach reverses the emerging carnivore comeback in Europe. Instead, we should cherish their presence across our continent, and find ways to coexist."
Frans Schepers
Founder and CEO, Rewilding Europe

About

“Sweden’s Big Five” is a carnivore protection project that provides news, facts, reports, links, story ideas, photos and videos for possible download, under certain conditions. We support media professionals, influencers and decision makers who want to learn more and tell others about the facts around our five large carnivores in Sweden: lynx, wolf, bear, wolverine and human.

“Sweden’s Big Five” is run by the Wild Wonders Foundation, in collaboration with the Swedish Carnivore Association and WWI, with support from the Sigrid Rausing Trust, The Canoe Trip and Butterfly Foundation.

The Sigrid Rausing Trust