Number and distribution of wolves
While the most numerous wolf populations are found close to the eastern border, in recent years wolf numbers have increased strongly in Western Finland. Roaming individuals and even breeding wolves can be found throughout the country.
Wolf. Photo: Eero Kemilä
The size of the territory of a wolf pack is determined by nutrition conditions and the density of wolves. In Finland the average size of an annual territory is between 800–1200 square kilometres, depending on the used mathematical method.
The data collected via Finland's large carnivore sighting network allows analysts to create distribution maps for each of our large carnivore species. These maps show the number of large carnivore sightings per unit of area. They may be used to find out regional differences in the density of large carnivore populations but they cannot be directly used for estimating the actual numbers of the predators.
Maps on the distribution of wolves and the most recent estimates of the number of wolves in Finland may be found (in Finnish) on Luke's website.
The distribution of wolves
Read more about the distribution of wolves in Finland on the site of the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke, in Finnish)