Slovenians are calling on the government to curb the growing population of brown bears

Brezovica, October 18 (IANS). Citizens have signed a petition to control the growing population of brown bears in Slovenia. Local media reports claim that around 4,200 Slovenian citizens have signed a petition to protest the growing population of brown bears. The petition called for strict action. The petition asks the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning to review the hunting quota of 206 bears set for 2025-2026. This quota must be completed by the end of this year. The petitions say that the increasing number of bears poses a threat to human safety in rural areas. Gorazd Kovacic, the petition’s main signatory, said the petition was launched in the village of Rakitna, one of the areas most affected by human-bear conflicts this year. “It was developed in collaboration with experts who monitor bear populations. Bears are seen almost daily in Rakitna and have lost their fear of humans,” Kovacic said. Experts estimate the bear population in Slovenia at around 950, which could rise to 1,100 next year. According to Tomasz Skrbinsek, a researcher at the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia has one of the countries with the highest density of bears in the world, with some areas having more than 50 bears per 100 square km. Environmental groups say bear hunting is unnecessary as there have been no human deaths from bear attacks in Slovenia for decades, Xinhua news agency reported. The brown bear, or Ursus arctos, is a protected species in Slovenia, where forests cover about 60 percent of the area. Brown bears are not only a protected species, but also environmentally important. Despite their populations being stable, they are given high priority in conservation. Because of their dependence on large natural areas, brown bears are considered an important management indicator for many other wildlife species. As hunters, they control the populations of other animals, and help maintain the environment through their role in dispersing seeds. –IANS DKM/DSC