BRATISLAVA – Seventeen brown bears have died in Slovakia since the start of the year, the environment ministry’s state secretary, Filip Kuffa, said on Facebook.
According to Kuffa, one animal was killed by a special task force, seven were shot by hunting associations under special permits and nine were hit by cars. So far, the ministry has issued permits to kill more than 80 bears.
“We’re still at the beginning of the year. There’s a long way to go to reach the 350 target, but I believe it will succeed with the help of hunters,” Kuffa wrote on social media.
Earlier this month, the Slovak government approved a controversial proposal to cull 350 brown bears – out of an estimated 1,300 in the country – following a fatal attack on a 59-year-old man. The plan has angered environmentalists, who say the government has failed to seriously consider preventative measures.
The plan is now under review in Brussels, where the European Commission is assessing whether Slovakia’s approach complies with EU rules and the requirements of the EU’s Habitats Directive.