President Kersti Kaljulaid s decision Thursday to strip former cross-country ski star Andrus Veerpalu of his two state decorations brings the total number of individuals so divested of their awards to fourteen.
President Kaljulaid has recalled a total of four state awards from recipients in her tenure so far. Toomas Hendrik Ilves took away the remaining 10, during his two-term stint as president, 2006-2016.
Ilves predecessors, Arnold Rüütel and, before him, Lennart Meri, doled out state awards perhaps more prolifically, and many of those who have been demoted in this way – including Andrus Veerpalu – had received their awards during the first two presidents terms.
Species that need old forest habitats are not doing well, with lynx and the flying squirrel moved down one endangerment category. The white-tailed eagle and the European mink have fared better, zoologist Uudo Timm told Novaator.
The recent evaluation of the situation of mammals took place at the end of last year, beginning of this one. Even though several species remained elusive, they have not been declared extinct in Estonia yet. For example, no one has seen a
garden dormouse or a
hazel dormouse for decades. However, a species is considered extinct if no sign of it is found for 50 years, said Uudo Timm, chief specialist for the Environment Agency s wildlife department. He said he hopes a few specimens of these species might still be out there and have simply managed to hide from scientists.