Ministry of Natural Resources issued a permit for shooting 206 bears

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning (MNVP) issued a permit for the killing of 206 bears today, on International Biodiversity Day, said Anim’s Welfare Society on Facebook. The shooting will take place throughout the area of ​​southeastern Slovenia, including Dolenjska, Notranjska, Kočevska, Primorska and Gorenjska, and will be able to perform until 1 July 2026.

The Ministry has not yet announced the issue of the permit.

As can be seen from the permit, he will interfere with the shooting primarily in the youngest specimens: 70 percent of bears should weigh less than 100 kg, which means that these are mostly younger animals, including this year’s puppies. Larger specimens are intended for trophies, writes the Anima Society.

“A threat to nature, science and public interest”

The society warns that shooting so many bears poses a threat to nature, science and public interest. “Genetic monitoring performed between 2023 and 2025 showed that 656 brown bears live in Slovenia. Nevertheless, the MNVP continues to rely on a model that predicts 954 to 1050 specimens. « 

“Considering genetic monitoring, shooting 206 bears will be a loss of as much as 31 percent of the total population. Even considering an over -estimate of the model (954 specimens), this shooting would mean 22 percent of the population, « the society warns. They added that in 2023 the mortality of 264 bears (shooted, driven, pervaded) was recorded, which, in their view, clearly shows that the population was already severely affected.

The Ministry should equipment on the results of genetic monitoring

The society explains that the basis for the issue of permission is a mathematical model prof. dr. Klemen Jerine« Which overestimates the number of bears every year and did not validate with the results of monitoring. » In 2024, more than 230 bears were killed, this year’s planned number is again high.

Although in March 2025, the result of genetic monitoring, which is considered a scientific standard (also recommended by IUCN), the MNVP still makes key decisions based on the model, warn.

“The ministry claims that it wants to reduce the population to 800 specimens. But if we take the monitoring information as the basis, we are already deep below that number. Instead of limiting feeding, eliminating conflicting practices and investments in prevention, they prefer to choose to shoot, « the society is critical.

The public calls for the public to express opposition to the quota shooting by intervention to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture, the Forest Service, the Office of the President of the Republic and the President of the Government and the mayor of the municipality where they live.

“Shoot 206 bears is not management. It is a scientifically unfounded intervention that threatens one of the most important populations of brown bear in Europe, « they wrote.