Globally, the lesser white-fronted goose has been classified as a threatened species with only three known nesting populations and estimated total population of around 35—40 000 individuals. The nesting populations in Eastern and Western Siberia comprise a few tens of thousands of birds. In Fennoscandia, the present breeding population is about 30—35 pairs, most of them in the northern Norway.

In Finland, the lesser white-fronted goose is classified as a critically endangered species and there are no sightings of nesting since 1995. During the spring migration, they are found in the resting areas on the west coast of Finland and especially in the Oulu region. They mainly migrate to Greece for the winter.

In addition to the native populations, in northern Sweden the lesser white-fronted geese are farmed and released into the wild and so, there is a nesting population of a few dozen pairs. Crossbreeds of the lesser white-fronted goose, which are listed as invasive alien species, originate from a Swedish planting project, where the barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) were used as adoption parents. In the project, the original strain already had genome of the greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) and thus, the planted geese population were crossbreeds.

Today, the planted lesser white-fronted geese in Sweden have pure genome but from the Siberian population and thus, they do not represent the original, genetically differentiated strain of Fennoscandian population. The individuals of the released generation are ringed and thus recognizable. Planted birds and runaways from aviarys may stray to Finland by flying on their own.

Kiljuhanhiristeymä – Anser erythropus hybrid