Slovakia on High Alert: Hunt for 350 aggressive bears underway
Slovakia Declares State of Emergency Due to Bear Attacks
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, Environmental Minister Tomas Taraba, and Tourism and Sports Minister Rudolf Huliak held a joint press conference in the capital Bratislava to address the increasing bear attacks in the country.
Prime Minister Fico announced a state of emergency in all 52 regions of Slovakia due to the rise in bear attacks. He expressed concern over the seriousness of the attacks, stating that people were afraid to go into the forests for fear of encountering bears, especially with the summer season approaching.
Environmental Minister Tomas Taraba revealed that there were 1900 attacks reported last year alone, with over 1000 bears currently residing in the country. He emphasized the need to follow the European Union regulations in granting hunters permission to hunt bears in order to protect human lives.
Tourism and Sports Minister Rudolf Huliak stated that 350 bears have been authorized to be shot in response to the increasing attacks. He highlighted that this number accounts for 40 percent of the bear population in the country and warned of the risk of overpopulation due to rapid growth.
In neighboring Czechia, 144 bears were killed last year for similar reasons, indicating a growing concern in the region.
The government’s decision to declare a state of emergency reflects the urgency of the situation and aims to ensure the safety of the population in the face of escalating bear attacks.
