In Sweden, the bears began. The discussion about research for hunters is back

In Sweden, brown bears hunting season began on Thursday. This year, the authorities allowed about 20 percent to shoot. population, i.e. 465 predators. This is less than in previous years, but according to ecologists, still too much.

“(Population – PAP) Bear will not be reborn,” said Beatrice Rindevall, the head of the largest Swedish organization to preserve nature, Naturskydsfoereningen.

This anxiety is shared by a scientist from the Swedish University of Agriculture (SLU) Jonas Kindberg, who pointed out that although the scale of this year's shooting is smaller than in previous years, for maintaining continuity of the species, sex distribution and the age of individuals are important. – It is not really known what the effects of the population decline will be – he emphasized. He added that the bear needs at least five years to reach sexual maturity.

In 2024, the Swedish authorities allowed 485 bears to shoot, and in 2023 722 individuals were killed from hunters, the most in the history of this type of statistics.

This year's limit has been divided into individual regions. In Jaemtland, 108 bears were allowed to break out in the central part of the country, and in the north – 24 many hunters to end the expedition successfully, use bait, but this requires the consent of the authorities. According to the local newspaper “Tidningen Angermanland”, the first bear fell at Solleftea in the north of the country this season. Hunting will be possible until mid -October.

According to the Swedish Association for the Protection of predators, licensed brown hunting are incompatible with the duties of Sweden arising from the EU habitat directive. The organization unsuccessfully tried to challenge the authorities of the authorities about this year's limits at the shooting.

The need to reduce the bear's population is explained by the need to protect other species and a possible threat to people. Sweden, although it is famous for its environmental protection, is traditionally a country of hunters whose number is estimated at approx. 270 thousand. Not only adults, but also children participate in hunting.

The debate on easy access to hunting weapons was caused by the matter of the February massacre at the school for adults in the city of Oerebro; 11 people were killed, including the perpetrator. The man, although he had difficulty functioning in society, passed the hunting exam and had permission to have a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle, which he used in the shooting. After this event, the government decided to ban the sale of this type of weapon.

From Stockholm Daniel Zyśk (PAP)

zys/ akl/