Slovaks in fear

People attacked: Hunt for the next problem bear

Symbolic image(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

A brown bear has strayed into a residential area in Slovakia and attacked five people - including a girl (10). The animal was chased away into a wooded area, but the residents are terrified. Now the bear is to be shot.

A bear has strayed from the nearby national park into the densely populated residential area of the town of Liptovský Mikuláš. Numerous videos from eyewitnesses show the animal running through the streets in complete disarray. Some drivers tried to chase the animal away by honking their horns loudly.

But this may have made the situation even worse. Startled by the noise, the animal began to attack passers-by. Five people were injured: a 10-year-old girl, two women aged 49 and 58 and two men, aged 32 and 72. They suffered scratches, bites and abrasions. The bear was eventually chased away from the residential area. The victims have since been able to leave the hospital.

Mayor Ján Blcháč convened an emergency meeting at the town hall. Representatives of the Slovakian Ministry of the Environment, members of the intervention team for the protection of brown bears, the state police, hunting associations and, of course, the nearby national parks were present. The father of an injured bear was also present. Liptovský Mikuláš has around 30,000 inhabitants and is located around 200 kilometers northeast of the Slovakian capital Bratislava.

According to sightings, the bear is moving towards the forests between Iľanovo and Závažná Poruba. Nevertheless, the situation remains tense. The town mobilized a large security contingent, including six patrols with drones, thermal vision, night vision devices and photo traps to ensure the safety of residents. The emergency services were given clear instructions to eliminate the bear should it attempt to enter populated areas again.

Woman dies in Slovakia while fleeing from bear
Just a few days ago, a woman died while hiking in Slovakia while fleeing from a brown bear. The 31-year-old tourist from Belarus fell from a great height down a slope and suffered fatal head injuries, a spokeswoman for the Slovakian police explained. The woman's companion had run in a different direction after the encounter with the brown bear. He remained unharmed.