Slovakia bear sightings map shows high activity in central regions

An updated map from the Pozor medved platform, managed by the State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic, tracks public reports of brown bear sightings across Slovakia for 2026. The data, which is intended to show bear movement patterns rather than exact population counts, indicates that bears have been reported in most districts, particularly in the mountainous and sub-mountainous regions of central and northern Slovakia.

Liptovský Mikuláš recorded the highest number of reports with 418, followed by Banská Bystrica with 235 and Prievidza with 171. Other notable areas include Martin, Poprad, Detva, Zvolen, and Žilina. In contrast, sightings remain very low or non-existent in the western and southwestern parts of the country.

Response teams are managing the reports, with the TANAP team handling the highest volume at 400 reports. Experts advise individuals to minimize risks by making moderate noise when entering forests, avoiding dense vegetation, and traveling in groups. Recommended safety measures include carrying bear spray and having the Mountain Rescue Service app installed on mobile devices.