Sweden initiates annual bear hunting expeditions
Despite objections from animal rights activists, Sweden's yearly bear hunting commenced on Wednesday. Up until October 15th, a maximum of 486 bears can be hunted across various administrative zones, as revealed by Sweden's Environmental Protection Agency, Naturvårdsverket. In the previous year, permissions were granted to kill 649 bears.
In Sweden, where hunting of brown bears and other predators is regulated strictly, around 2,800 bears were believed to reside at the conclusion of the autumn hunting season in 2022. Preliminary data suggests that this population has dwindled to roughly 2,450 now.
Each of the seven administrative areas makes its own decision about how many bears can be hunted. The hunting magazine "Svensk Jakt" reported that more than 70 bears had been killed just within the first hours of the hunt. The primary purpose of the bear hunt, as per agency reports, is to manage the bear population and minimize harm to livestock and reindeer.
Environmentalists argue that the allocation of hunting permits is excessive, possibly leading to a drastic decrease in the bear population. The predator conservation project "Sweden's Big Five" characterizes the hunt as "trophy hunting" and claims breaches of EU directives. They contend that the hunt contradicts the bear's protective status within the EU.
Criticism against the bear hunting in Sweden intensified, with environmentalists stating that the allocation of hunting permits may lead to an overhunt and potentially endanger the bear population. The predator conservation project "Sweden's Big Five" also accused the hunt of being a form of trophy hunting, alleging violations of EU directives and contradicting the bear's protected status within the EU.
