Since January, Slovakia’s Environment Ministry has granted 24 permits allowing the culling of 126 problematic brown bears. By the end of May, hunters had removed 13, and the intervention team eliminated 19 more.
State Secretary Filip Kuffa emphasized that all requests are strictly evaluated and that no mass culling is taking place. Intervention teams have expanded into national parks and act in populated areas where hunters cannot. In 2023, 58 bears were removed by the intervention team and 36 were removed by hunters. Kuffa criticized the previous government's bear population control efforts, citing increased attacks on humans.
Source: TASR
Romana Grajcarová, Photo: Getty Images via bbc.com
