Wild animal cull in Slovenia

On Friday the 13th of February, the Slovene National Gazette published the Book of regulations regarding this year’s wild animal cull in Slovenia signed by the Slovene Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Mr. Franc But. The regulations, prepared by an “expert commission” appointed by the ministry, provide for the “removal” of 80 brown bears, 14 wolves and 2 lynxes.   Slovenia started a massive cull of brown bears in 2002, when 116 bears were killed.

This is not the first wild animal cull in Slovenia, they are done on a regular basis, however it is surprising that this year’s regulations permit the regular “removal” of up to 60 brown bears, plus an irregular “removal” of an additional 20 brown bears. They also provide for the “regular” removal of only one lynx, with the possibility of “removing” one more irregularly. The “removal” of 14 wolfs is only permitted if it proves necessary “for the sake of an irregular removal and where there is no removal to balance the population.”

The Green Parties of the EFGP are troubled by this Book of regulations since it doesn’t even try to explain what the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food considers under the term “irregular removal.” We are also worried that this provision is merely an attempt to hide the fact that Slovenia has planned to kill.

The Green Parties of the EFGP therefore:call on the Slovene Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food to collect scientific data and establish the size of the brown bear population in Slovenia.