The moose have learned to avoid hunters – but not wolves

On Friday, this year’s elk hunt starts in several parts of the country, but as many hunters know, it can be difficult to even find some animals once the hunt has started.

New research shows that the moose have become adept at adapting and avoiding hunters – but that, on the other hand, they have a harder time deceiving the wolf

Giorgia Ausilio, researcher at the Swedish University of Agriculture, has been involved in the study.

– It seems that the moose adapt their behavior in relation to the hunt, that is to say that they avoid areas with greater hunting risk, but they have not done that in relation to the wolves. They still choose to be in areas where the risk of being killed by the wolves is high, she tells Nyhetsmorgon.

Unclear cause

The reason why the moose have learned to avoid hunters but not wolves is not fully understood.

– It is very difficult to get a black and white answer to this, but we think it is due to the fact that for the last 100, 150 years, the wolf has not existed in Sweden, but we have hunted the moose during all these years. Then of course hunting is the biggest source of mortality and then you have to adapt to what is the biggest danger, says Giorgia Ausilio.

– The wolf has returned recently, so perhaps they simply haven’t had time yet, she continues.

This year, hunters are asked to shoot fewer adult animals than during previous hunts, reports say Swedens radio. The call to hunting teams is to shoot 50 percent adults and 50 percent calves this year.

A total of 68,009 moose may be killed during the moose hunt. Last year, that number was 82,386.