Large carnivores snow-track counting in Kainuu 2008

Tracks of wolves (Canis lupus), wolverines (Gulo gulo) and lynxes (Lynx lynx) were counted in the Kainuu game management district in eastern-central Finland on March 1, 2008 to obtain more reliable information about the number of these species. This information is vitally important for the management.

About 1 335 hunters with 455 cars and 565 snowmobiles looked for the tracks. In addition, employees of the National Board of Forestry and patrols from the frontier guard detachment took part in the count, searching for tracks by moving slowly across the area. If a carnivore track was found, the species, number of individuals and direction of travel were assessed. Attempts were made to eliminate the overlap between observations. The total length of all the routes was 15 578 km (average 0.67 km/km2 and variation 0.54–0.86 km/km2 between the local game associations). Snow track observations were partly verifi ed by experienced fi eld persons. The coverage of the counting routes was estimated from movement data on wolves and lynxes with collars that had a global positioning device (?).

The size of the Kainuu wolf population was estimated at 29–37 animals, a decrease of about 50% compared with the previous year. With wolves the coverage of the counting routes was estimated at 96%. Wolves were estimated to cross the counting routes 6.5 times on average.

The population size of the lynx was estimated at 140–190 individuals, including 23–31 litters. This estimation is over 40% higher than the 2007 estimate. With lynxes the counting routes covered approximately 89% (83–93%). Lynxes were estimated to cross counting routes at least 3.4–times (2.8–4.0) on average.

The size of the wolverine population was estimated at 36–53 animals. There seems to be a slight increase compared with the previous year’s estimate. Because our aim was to have careful population estimates, the counting was preceded by inquiring about large carnivore observations.

Both observations made by hunters and wolf observations by border guard patrols observations supported the estimates for the population sizes, their recent changes and the observed geographical distribution of large carnivores in Kainuu.