Wolves shot in Norway after court overturns stay of execution

Nine endangered animals killed after injunction lifted on cull of 25 wolves living in conservation zone

Nine endangered wolves were shot in one day in Norway after a court ruled that a controversial hunt could go ahead.

Fifty-one wolves were originally due to be slaughtered - a significant proportion of the 80 animals thought to live in Norway. But last month, activists secured a stay of execution when they got an injunction halting the hunt until an appeal over its validity could go ahead. They claimed that allowing hunters to kill wolves in a conservation zone would be against EU nature protection laws.