Finland culls 14,000 invasive raccoon dogs, minks to protect waterfowl

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Finland has culled nearly 14,000 invasive raccoon dogs and minks in key wildfowl nesting areas, broadcaster YLE News reported Wednesday, citing the Finnish Wildlife Agency.

The alien predator project, conducted between 2022 and 2024, removed about 11,000 raccoon dogs and more than 2,700 minks from 72 nesting sites across the country.

Nearly 400 designated hunters and their dogs spent around 50,000 hours annually on the operation, which targets the two legally classified invasive species that have virtually no natural predators in Finland and threaten waterfowl by destroying nesting areas.

"The results were a positive surprise. It is incredible that the raccoon dog population was reduced on such a large scale. This is good news for Finland's biodiversity," Mikko Toivola, who oversaw the project at the Finnish Wildlife Agency, said in a statement.