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Wild Mouflon Sheep Spotted in Skåne, Authorities Urge Hunting

Key Points
  • Wild mouflon sheep have been reported in Sjöbo, Kristianstad, and Höör municipalities in Skåne.
  • The County Administrative Board urges hunters to shoot the animals due to disease risks and their status as a non-native species.
  • Local officials in Sjöbo municipality say they don't know where the animals are located or where they came from.

The County Administrative Board of Skåne has issued an alert about wild mouflon sheep reportedly moving freely in several locations across the region. According to local reports, the non-native sheep species has been discovered in Sjöbo, Kristianstad, and Höör municipalities.

Mouflon sheep are considered a foreign species in Swedish nature and can potentially spread diseases, including stomach and intestinal parasites. The County Administrative Board is urging hunters with hunting rights on the land to shoot the animals year-round.

a bit taken by surprise

Carina Ekelund, environmental inspector

Nils Carlsson from the County Administrative Board stated that from the authority's side, they want to encourage hunting of the animals. Meanwhile, local officials in Sjöbo municipality expressed confusion about the situation, with environmental inspector Carina Ekelund stating they were 'a bit taken by surprise' and that no one knows where the animals are located.

The mouflon sheep's origin remains unknown, and authorities are concerned about their potential impact on local ecosystems and disease transmission risks.

no one knows where the animals are located

Carina Ekelund, environmental inspector

Transparency

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