Sheep killed in predator attack at farm in Kiikala, Finland

At least 33 sheep were killed in an apparent predator attack in Kiikala, Finland, during the night from Saturday to Sunday. The owner of the sheep farm, Heikki Nietosvaara, was informed of the incident by a local dog walker who discovered the first dead sheep in a nearby field on Sunday morning.

The extent of the damage quickly became apparent. Nietosvaara stated, “The person who found the dead sheep called us to come look, as it appeared that a predator was involved.” The farm is situated amidst extensive wooded areas and ravines, where the sheep had run into the forest and were likely caught in the terrain. One sheep had even jumped into a river and swum to the other side.

The number of dead sheep may still increase, as some of the injured animals are currently being treated. Nietosvaara mentioned, “Throughout the day, we searched for them here and there with the dog, pulling them out of the ravines and so on.” The farm raises approximately 600 ewes.

Jukka Männistö, a contact person for predators at the Kiikala Hunting Association, visited Nietosvaara’s farm on Sunday morning. He firmly believes a wolf was responsible for the attack, as evidenced by the bite marks on the carcasses indicating that the predator typically consumes the stomach and ribs. Männistö could not say whether there was one or multiple attackers, as there were no clear tracks visible due to the absence of snow. The news of the attack was first reported by Ilta-Sanomat.