Wild world

Wildlife of Slovakia

Slovakian bears (excellent page in English and Slovak)

With increased numbers of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Slovakia since the second half of the 20th century, conflicts between people and bears have increased. Dangerous situations arise for example due to poor storage of food or refuse. Negative aspects of bears often make news headlines, promoting a heightened sense of fear. The Slovak Wildlife Society responded to this situation by launching the B.E.A.R.S. Project: Bear Education, Awareness and Research in Slovakia. By finding ways to mitigate conflicts, providing information as well as practical help on how to prevent problems, we hope to foster greater understanding and acceptance of bears.

The B.E.A.R.S Project: Bear Education, Awareness and Research in Slovakia Wolves and Humans

Brown bears were almost eradicated from Slovakia in the 1930s, due to excessive hunting and persecution. Today there are thought to be around 600-800 bears, and they are protected by both national and international legislation. The population appears to be stable, but there is concern that this could change, as habitat is lost or fragmented by development and the construction of new motorways. There may also be an increase in bear-human conflicts as people occupy more of the bears’ range. No one has been killed by a bear in Slovakia for decades, but each year during encounters with bears several people are injured, some of them badly, and damage to beehives, livestock and crops is common.

TANAP - Slovak Tatra National Park - In English

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