The Slovenia gave the green light to the felling of 230 specimens of brown bear. The minister announced the measure Natural resources and of the Territorial affairs,Uros Brezan, who explained that it is a “necessary” measure to ensure the “Citizens’ health and safety” and to avoid excessive damage caused by the population of plantigradi.
The objective of the culling of the specimens is to bring the number of bears back to altitude in the next few years 800, a figure still considered sustainable for a manageable coexistence between bears ed human beings. To date however, according to an estimate from last spring, there are around Slovenian territory 1,100 bears and – according to experts – for the Slavic territory the ideal population would be instead of 450-500 specimens. The population of plantigrades therefore, according to the Slovenian authorities, “must be regulated”: the killing of the 230 specimens is foreseen, as reported by theSlovenian news agency, for the year 2023. It should be remembered that in 2022 about 206 specimens were killed.
Slovenia’s decision comes in the same days in which Italy is discussing the situation of the Trentino after the death of Andrea Papia 26-year-old runner, killed by bear JJ4 – son of a couple who moved from Slovenia – while running in the woods. The President of the Autonomous Province of Trento, Maurizio Fugattiordered their demolition but the appeal filed by Lav al Tar has been accepted and the killing of JJ4 is currently suspended.