The Finnish Reindeer Herders' Association has reported a sharp increase in the number of reindeer killed by wolves. In 2025 alone, wolves killed approximately 1,950 reindeer—nearly 70% more than last year, CNN reports.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 2,000 wolf attacks on reindeer have been recorded in Finland. This is the highest figure since record-keeping began in 2013. Ten years ago, there were only 539 such attacks.
Finland's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has calculated that a reindeer owner suffers losses of €1,572 ($1,850) when their animal is killed. Herders complain they spend considerable time seeking compensation from the government, which they say is insufficient to cover costs.
"There are so many wolves that they threaten the entire system here... They just kill, kill, kill," says Juha Kujala, whose family has been herding reindeer in Kuusamo in northern Finland for over 400 years.
"If we don't do something, in a few years entire areas [will have no] reindeer. It's sad because this is the oldest thing in all of Finland—reindeer herding," he adds.
Lapland, Finland's northernmost region, is considered the official home of Santa Claus. Hundreds of thousands of reindeer roaming the area attract tourists.
Finnish herders link the record number of wolf attacks to the war in Ukraine. After Russian hunters were conscripted to the front, control over predators weakened, and wolves from Russia began attacking more frequently.
"After the start of the war in Ukraine, the situation is getting worse... Wolves are coming from the Russian side," says herder Kujala, pointing to the Russian border just 25 miles from his land. "Now they (Russians) are hunting people in Ukraine, and nobody is hunting wolves anymore."
CNN notes that the narrative of blaming Russia for the country's problems aligns well with general anti-Russian sentiment among the Finnish people, who have spent decades preparing for a potential future conflict with their neighbor.
The herders' version has scientific backing. Over the past decade, the Natural Resources Institute Finland has analyzed thousands of wolf samples, often taken from feces or urine, from across the country. The institute recently noticed a sharp increase in wolves with DNA markers not previously observed in Finland. Scientists concluded these animals most likely came from across the Russian border.
Institute statistics confirm a sharp growth in the country's wolf population in recent years. In spring 2024, there were approximately 295 individuals; now there are about 430. This is the highest number in a decade.
"I think the [herders'] theory is quite realistic. The main clue is that wolf hunting in Russia has decreased. Before the war in Ukraine, it was very intensive, and good money was paid for each wolf," says senior researcher Katja Holmala, who leads the wolf DNA sample analysis.
John Helin, an expert with Black Bird Group who specializes in monitoring Russia's war in Ukraine and Russia's efforts to support it on the home front, agrees. He points to significant financial incentives offered to Russian men willing to join the army, as well as a general decrease in unemployment rates in Russia.
"It's the correct narrative that everything bad comes from Russia," he acknowledges.
The publication notes that given Russia's opaque record-keeping system, this theory cannot yet be proven. But the number of male hunters in Russia has clearly decreased.
Although wolves in Finland are still classified as a critically endangered species, the government authorized wolf hunting last month. Conservationists expressed concern, but the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry says it recognizes the need for population control.
Special hunting licenses have already been issued in reindeer breeding areas. Herders often go out with hunting dogs and rifles, searching for wolf tracks in the snow.
