Poland debates bear culling after attacks in Slovakia

Attacks by brown bears on people in Slovakia and Slovenia have sparked a pronounced debate in Poland over the regulation of large predator populations and the possibility of culling. An analysis by the Polish state research centre NASK, cited by Warsaw news agency TASR, notes that discussion intensified between 2024 and 2026, with social‑media portrayals framing bears and wolves as immediate threats to humans. The analysis links the heightened discourse to earlier incidents, including a 2023 decision by Polish authorities in the village of Cisna to permit the shooting of three problem bears, a permission later rescinded after protests from conservationists.

Experts warned that isolated wildlife conflicts are often used to advance political agendas, arguing that culling addresses symptoms rather than underlying causes of human‑wildlife conflict. The NASK report cautions that using such incidents to justify population reduction may be a short‑term fix that fails to resolve deeper ecological and management issues.