Závažná Poruba bear attacks prompt call for stronger wildlife control in Slovakia

In the Liptov village of Závažná Poruba, a brown bear attacked a resident who was working outside his home, causing superficial hand injuries. The incident, which occurred on a weekend, has intensified local concerns after nine bears were eliminated under special permits in 2024‑2025 and additional individuals appeared in 2026.

Mayor Vladimír Mlynček said the municipality is working continuously with the crisis team of the Liptovský Mikuláš district office and the NAPANT‑North response team, which monitors the area by ground, drone and thermal imaging to track the problem animal. The mayor urged the Ministry of Environment to adopt legislative measures that would allow effective management of bear populations in areas of high occurrence, and the village had already sent a letter to the minister on 24 June 2026 requesting specific protection actions for residents’ lives, health and property. The ministry’s communications department responded that bear attacks are undesirable and highlighted the ongoing need to eliminate problematic bears despite opposition from activists and courts.