Dear European Commission,  

Following the Commission’s invitation to submit data on wolves, I want to underline facts that clearly show that the growing populations of wolves in Europe and Sweden is a predominantly very positive development. As an apex predator, wolves are important for the functioning of ecosystems and worth a continued strong protection. 

Please let the strict protection of wolves remain. There are several good reasons for that, as listed below.

Wolves have a considerably positive effect on Swedish nature and ecology. Swedish research reports show for example that remains from prey killed by wolves benefit other species (Wikenros 2011). Wolves prey on weaker specimens of elk in average than hunters (Sand, Wikenros et al. 2012) which shows that the species has an important role as an apex predator in the natural selection: 
https://www.slu.se/globalassets/ew/org/inst/ekol/forskning/projekt/skandulv/publikationer/doktorsavhandlingar/wikenros-2011-the-return-of-the-wolf---effects-on-prey-competitors-and-scavengers.pdf 

https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/z2012-007 

To conclude, I strongly urge the Commission to take action to protect Europe’s valuable wolves, and not weaken the necessary protection. 

Best regards,

Mikael Söderholm
Västra Frölunda