A new petition against the poaching of wolves in Finland.

The wolf action group of Luonto-Liitto (the Finnish Nature League) has been campaigning against the poaching of wolves in Finland. The campaign has included a petition, various events and active participation in public discussion. We have now published a new petition on our website, in the form of a letter that you can sign and send directly to the Finnish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Jari Koskinen. The letter is in Finnish, but we have provided translations for those who don't speak the language but are willing to participate.

In Finland, the wolf is now considered a very endangered species. According to the most recent estimates, there are only 150-160 wolves left in the entire country. The most significant threat to the species' survival is hunting. In addition to legal hunting permits, illegal hunting has taken a serious toll on Finland's wolf population. Between 2007 and 2010 the amount of wolves dropped by nearly a half. As the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has admitted, this dramatic decline was due to poaching.

Our campaign against poaching demands decisive action to end illegal wolf hunts. These include not only supervision and investigation, but also measures like building protective fences for livestock and reforming compensation policies, which can lessen the perceived need to exterminate local predators. The Ministry plays a key role in this issue, which is why we are asking people to put pressure on them and help save the Finnish wolves.

Our petition: www.salakaadotseis.fi/in-english/

Luonto-Liitto (Finalnd)