Slovenia to Free Wild Bears for Consumption Purposes - Slovakia plans to sell newly hatched bear cubs for consumption by humans.
Slovakia Set to Offer Consumption of Shot Brown Bears
Following a proposal by the Environmental State Secretary, Filip Kuffa, Slovakia is preparing to make shot brown bears available for consumption. This move is intended to halt the wasteful disposal of bear carcasses in rendering plants.
Kuffa explained that any shot animal meeting certain conditions would be eligible for sale. He justified this by stating the edibility of bear meat. Authorities affiliated with the Ministry of Environment are already issuing licenses for catering businesses to resell bear meat, with traders required to obtain certificates confirming the legality of the kill.
The decision to sell bear meat has sparked criticism, with liberal opposition MP Tamara Stohlova, commenting that it "turns the Environmental Ministry into a butcher shop."
The context for this decision lies in concerns over growing concerns of bear attacks in Slovakia. Officially, around 1,200 brown bears roam the country, and they are generally protected. However, animals that endanger people can be shot under specific conditions. Recent years have seen several encounters with people, some fatal, such as the recent incident where a 49-year-old man was severely injured by a bear on a company site.
In light of these attacks, the government approved killing up to 350 so-called "problem bears" in April. To date, only 23 bears have been killed, as Kuffa announced following the incident on Saturday. Kuffa, an ardent supporter of controversial shooting plans, sees the decision to sell bear meat as a means to utilize the meat while addressing public safety concerns.
Controversy surrounds the bear cull, with environmentalists and opposition politicians, even in the European Parliament, questioning its necessity. The brown bear, a protected species in the EU, faces criticism for jeopardizing conservation efforts. However, the government maintains that public safety is paramount, and the sale of bear meat aims to ensure that the meat is not wasted.
- Slovakia
- Bear
- Environmental
- Problem bear
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive regarding the sale of bear meat in Slovakia, as a means to addresspublic safety concerns and prevent wasteful disposal of bear carcasses. This move is taking place amidst controversial bear culling, with critics arguing it jeopardizes conservation efforts for the protected EU species, while proponents point towards environmental-science-based solutions to ensure health-and-wellness in both human and bear populations.
