"The wolf is the devil in hundreds and hundreds of years of storytelling. If you're talking about the devil's right hand it's very difficult to talk about proper population sizes or quotas; you just want to get rid of him."

Imagine the reaction if the headlines proclaimed that Sri Lanka was to kill half its leopards, or Costa Rica half its jaguars. Well, here in Europe, Sweden is doing just that – downgrading or removing protections for vital, iconic species such as wolves, brown bears and lynx. 

In this episode of Rewilding the World Ben Goldsmith talks with conservationist Staffan Widstrand about what exactly is going on in Sweden.

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Why not check out The Last Salmon: a podcast set to inspire hope and solutions for a species in crisis. The Last Salmon, offers hope and solutions to the tragic story that is unfolding for an iconic species - the wild salmon.

The European Nature Trust has curated a series of unique opportunities to encounter Europe’s most iconic species and landscapes. Each trip features a significant contribution directly to partnered NGOs on the ground. theeuropeannaturetrust.com