Population
Found all over the country, except for the island of Gotland, yet rare in the early 19th Century because of intense hunting. The numbers grew as hunting was regulated and the number of predators decreased.
Other contributing factors were the advance of agriculture and modern forestry–grasses and herbs thriving in cutting areas make
an excellent pasture for elk. There are about 250 000 animals, of which 60 000 are shot by hunters each year.
