The Slovak government has decided to permit the consumption of brown bear meat, a move that has drawn strong condemnation from environmentalists, who on Wednesday labeled it as absurd and a boost to poachers.
Last month, Slovakia’s nationalist government approved the culling of 350 bears, citing the perceived danger they pose to humans and a consistent increase in the bear population.
Filip Kuffa, a state secretary at the environment ministry, announced on Facebook this week that the state would offer culled animals for resale “because bear meat is edible.”
Brown bears are a protected species in Europe, but exemptions for shooting exist, and several countries, including Slovenia, also permit bear meat consumption.
Kuffa stated that bear meat must possess a certificate before it can be sold in the market, verifying that the animal was hunted in compliance with an exemption from protection.
Environmentalist Marian Hletko expressed strong disapproval to AFP on Wednesday, calling the decision “absurd,” especially since the meat will be offered by organizations affiliated with the environment ministry.
“The organizations designed to protect nature will turn into state-run butcheries offering the meat of protected animals,” remarked Hletko, representing the We Are Forest initiative.
He further argued that this decision would inadvertently encourage poaching, as “when the state signals it is not interested in protecting bears, poachers will be less worried about potential sanctions.”
In April, the government declared a state of emergency in most Slovak districts due to the “undesirable” presence of bears, following reports of deadly attacks.
“We can’t live in a country where people are afraid to go to the woods,” stated Prime Minister Robert Fico.
The Slovak parliament had already relaxed the rules for bear culling in May 2024, allowing for exemptions in several districts.
However, the country is obligated to adhere to an EU directive that permits culling only of “problem bears” that are causing property damage or attacking people, and only when no other viable solution exists.
Hletko reported that a record-high 92 bears were shot in the EU member country of 5.4 million people in 2024, while another 52 died either in car accidents or were killed by poachers.
Environment Minister Tomas Taraba recently commented that the Slovak bear population has now surpassed 1,300 animals.
