The Administrative Court of Northern Finland has prohibited the use of two exemptions to a ban on hunting wolves in the Kuhmo Saunajärvi region of eastern Finland and the Siikajoki area on the western coast.
The Finnish Wildlife Agency issued the hunting exemptions at the end of December as authorities aim to cull a total of 18 wolves this year.
Saunajärvi and Siikajoki were two of four regions to receive the exemptions to the nationwide ban on the hunting of wolves, which permitted the killing of eight wolves in the Saunajärvi area and two in Siikajoki.
The exemptions had been granted for the period from 1 to 15 February 2022, but the court's decision means that no wolves can be hunted in either region unless the ruling is overturned.
An Administrative Court in Turku has previously ruled that the exemption allowing the hunting of three wolves in the Somero region of southwest Finland cannot be used.