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Bear accident in Slovenia: Director describes frightening moment!
Director Uros Zavodnik reports on a surprising bear accident in Slovenia. Two bear incidents raise questions about safety.
Bear accident in Slovenia: Director describes frightening moment!
An incident involving a bear is causing a stir in Slovenia. Uros Zavodnik, a director from Ravne, experienced a shocking moment on Tuesday evening when a bear appeared in front of him on the street. Zavodnik tried to drive by when the bear suddenly jumped through the driver's door of his car. Surprisingly, the bear was only grazed during the collision and quickly disappeared back into the undergrowth. The director reported that he initially did not believe the bear posed a threat, suspecting it was a young bear and fearing that the mother might be nearby. The incident occurred just outside Eisenkappel, and Zavodnik noticed that his car had a dent in the door, while the bear appeared to be unharmed. He alerted the police, who informed the hunters and expressed hope that the bear could live on. The damage to his car is covered by insurance. 5min.at
This incident is one of a series of bear attacks in Slovenia. Just a day after Zavodnik's encounter, a 57-year-old man was attacked by a bear while walking a dog in the municipality of Škofljica. The man suffered minor injuries to his legs, but they are not life-threatening. According to reports, the bear retreated into the forest after the attack. There have been several accidents between cars and bears in recent weeks, and there is speculation that the bear that attacked the man may have been injured. The community urged residents to exercise caution, while the Ministry of Natural Resources decided not to propose an intervention shooting of the bear. Die Presse
Bear population and human-animal conflicts
In Slovenia, there are an estimated 1,100 to 1,200 brown bears per approximately 2 million inhabitants, which corresponds to one bear for every 1,700 inhabitants. Although authorities protect bears through EU laws and government regulations, the population is divided over the decision to allow the shooting of 230 bears this year. The aim of this measure is to reduce the bear population to around 800 in order to avoid conflicts with humans. A total of 234 bears were killed in 2019, and on average two to three bear attacks on humans occur annually. Participants in the incidents generally reported minor injuries. [Rai News].
The risk of bear attacks is particularly high near populated areas. Authorities have launched various information campaigns to minimize contact between humans and bears. These include measures such as removing trash containers to prevent bears from accessing food sources, as well as recommendations not to keep pets outdoors. In order to improve the coexistence of people and bears, expert commissions are being convened which, in coordination with the Ministry of the Environment, can decide whether bears should lose their fear of people and become a danger. This approach is necessary because, unlike other regions such as Trentino, Slovenia has recorded only three fatal incidents involving bears since 1945, the last in 1987. The bear population in Slovenia has increased significantly since the end of World War II, when only about 80 bears existed. [Rai News].