Slovakia's Poprad district sees giant bear scare forest workers

On a Tuesday morning in the Poprad district of eastern Slovakia, forest workers near the villages of Hozelec and Gánovce were startled by an unusually large bear. The animal appeared only a few hundred metres from a chalet area, ran toward the workers, and was briefly chased after they fled in a car. The bear continued to follow the vehicle for a short distance, but no direct contact occurred and no one was injured.

Local officials described the animal as a “mega bear” and noted its bold behavior, saying, “She was cheeky and not afraid at all.” Residents and visitors have been urged to avoid the forest in that area for the time being. The incident follows recent bear activity in the region, including a separate attack on a man in the nearby Liptov area earlier in the week.

Authorities from the State Nature Protection of the Slovak Republic have increased monitoring and issued safety warnings, emphasizing that while encounters are rare, the presence of large bears can pose a risk to people working or walking in the woods.