The Administrative Court of Eastern Finland has revoked exceptional permits granted by the Finnish Wildlife Agency for lynx hunting in Eastern Finland.
The Wildlife Agency had granted permits to kill a total of 125 lynx in North and South Savo, Kymenlaakso and North Karelia for this winter's hunting season. In November, the Administrative Court suspended implementation of the Wildlife Agency's decisions, and the winter hunt was cancelled.
The Wildlife Agency had justified its decisions by the need to "commit the local community" to maintain a favourable level of lynx protection.
However, the Administrative Court ruled that the agency's arguments were insufficient.
According to the court, the Wildlife Agency did not present evidence of any problems in engaging local communities in lynx protection – or that such commitment would be boosted by allowing the felines to be shot.
Lynx hunting became the subject of a lively public debate last fall. Finnish nature conservation organisations filed complaints about almost all exceptional permits granted for hunting lynx.
According to the country’s biggest conservation group, the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC), "lynx do more good than harm," adding that "lynx prey on non-native species such as white-tailed deer and raccoon dogs, whose numbers have been limited through cooperation between hunters and conservationists."
The Administrative Court previously revoked exceptional permits granted for lynx hunting in Southwest Finland.
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