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Slovakia Approves Plan to Cull Brown Bear Population After Fatal Attack
The Slovak government has authorized a controversial plan to remove approximately a quarter of the country’s brown bear population, following the fatal mauling of a man in a forest in Central Slovakia. This decision highlights growing concerns over human-wildlife conflict in the region.
Culling Order Follows Spate of Bear Encounters
Prime Minister Robert Fico’s conservative administration announced the decision after a cabinet meeting, stating that 350 brown bears would be culled from an estimated population of 1,300. The government cited increasing risks to public safety following a series of bear attacks.
“We cannot exist in a nation where individuals are afraid to venture into wooded areas,” the Prime Minister stated to reporters after the meeting.
A special state of emergency, which permits the shooting of bears, has now been expanded to encompass 55 of Slovakia’s 79 regions, covering a significant portion of the nation.
Expanded Emergency Powers and Conservationist Criticism
Bratislava had previously relaxed legal protections for bears, allowing them to be killed if they approached human settlements too closely. By the close of 2024, around 93 bears had been killed under these relaxed regulations.
However, the plan to escalate culling efforts has been met with strong criticism from conservation organizations, who argue the decision violates international agreements and could be unlawful.
“It is illogical,” stated Michal Wiezek, an ecologist and Member of the European Parliament representing the opposition Progressive Slovakia party.
“The Environment Ministry has demonstrably failed to reduce bear attacks through the unprecedented culling of this protected species,” Wiezek told the BBC.
“To mask their failures, the government has opted to cull an even greater number of bears,” he continued.
Wiezek contended that despite thousands of human-bear interactions annually, incidents remain rare, and expressed hope that the European Commission would intervene in the matter.
Fatal Bear Attack Confirmed by Police
Slovakian authorities verified on Wednesday that a man discovered deceased in a forest near Detva in Central Slovakia on Sunday evening died as a result of a bear attack. His injuries were consistent with such an encounter.
The 59-year-old man was reported missing on Saturday after failing to return from a walk in the woods.
Details of the Fatal Incident
The man’s body was discovered by mountain rescue teams in the forest near Detva.
Authorities described his injuries as “severe head trauma.” A local non-governmental organization informed Slovak newspaper Novy Cas that evidence of a bear’s den was found nearby.
Bears Become a Political Issue in Slovakia
Bear encounters have become a contentious political issue in Slovakia due to an increase in incidents, including fatal attacks, raising concerns about public safety and wildlife management.
In March 2024, a 31-year-old Belarusian woman died after falling into a ravine while being pursued by a bear in northern Slovakia.
Weeks later, a large brown bear was filmed running through the town center of Liptovsky Mikolas in broad daylight, passing vehicles and lunging at pedestrians.
Authorities claimed to have tracked down and killed this particular animal, although conservationists later presented evidence suggesting a different bear had been shot.
Conflicting Data on Bear Population
Environment Minister Tomas Taraba stated on Wednesday that Slovakia’s bear population exceeded 1,300, asserting that 800 would be an “adequate figure” given population growth.
However, wildlife experts maintain that the brown bear population in Slovakia remains relatively stable at approximately 1,270 animals.
Brown bears are commonly found throughout the Carpathian mountain range, extending from Romania through western Ukraine into Slovakia and Poland.