Swedes left with a monster problem
RHIANNON EDWARD
THE placing of a mythical monster on Sweden’s endangered species list, in an apparent fit of bureaucratic zeal, has caused an administrative problem for the country’s authorities.
"During a routine inspection of the environment court in Jaemtland recently, we came across a decision that attracted our interest," said Nils-Olof Berggren, a Swedish parliamentary ombudsman.
"The court had turned down an application from a man who wanted to search for and hatch the monster’s eggs, probably believing [the application] was just a joke."
However, Mr Berggren found there was an actual decision from 1986 placing the monster under protection.
"We decided to have a closer look at how the listing came about and how it is applied. If a court decided it cannot be applied, we want to find out if the monster really needs to be protected or if the decision can be scrapped," he said.
Legend has it that the giant serpent, similar to the Loch Ness Monster has lived for centuries in Jaemtland’s Lake Storsjoen, Sweden’s fifth-largest lake.
