Deadly danger?
Bear fear is back: Europe under scrutiny
They look cute, but more and more often they are becoming a deadly danger to humans. Italy, Slovakia and Romania are now taking tough action against brown bears. However, animal rights activists believe the measures are too excessive.
The growing bear population in Europe is leading to more and more encounters between humans and animals. In the northern Italian province of Trentino in particular, there is great concern about the increasing threat posed by brown bears. The fear was recently heightened by the attack of a female bear on a French tourist.
"Kj1" has since been caught with a trap in the Alto Garda region, fitted with a radio collar and released again. The bear had already attracted attention in the past. However, the attack on the tourist, who only just survived, has triggered new discussions about safety in the region and the impact on tourism.
Italy sees shooting as protection for tourism
Following the incident, even the German Foreign Ministry issued a warning and urged travelers to exercise particular caution, especially in remote forest areas.
In Trentino itself, there are now discussions about controlling the bear population through regulated shooting to ensure the safety of the population. However, animal rights activists are up in arms against culling plans, arguing that such measures are often rushed and taken without proof that the animals concerned are dangerous.
Several injured in Slovakia
Fear is also spreading among the population in Slovakia. Not unfounded: The pictures of the bear that stormed through the streets of Liptovský Mikuláš and injured five people went viral. The town declared a state of emergency, chased after the animal with biometric drone scans and had it shot.
Bear stronghold Romania doubles the hunting quota
However, Romania took the most recent step. There, a bear killed a 19-year-old female hiker on a popular hiking trail in the Carpathian Mountains when she and her friend tried to flee from the animal.
The country is home to the largest brown bear population in Europe with an estimated 6000 to 7000 animals. In view of this high number and the increasing conflicts between humans and bears, the Romanian authorities have now drastically increased the shooting quota for bears.
For 2024, the quota has been more than doubled from 220 to 481 bears. But here too, the measure has sparked controversy: Some experts and conservation groups are of the opinion that this approach does not solve the problem and endangers the population.
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