National and regional story (Slovakia) - What are the related trends?

Brown bear (Ursus arctos L.)

Conservation and management of the bear is realised by the above mentioned laws, and the social value of one individual is EUR 2 655.51.

The area of a brown bear’s natural territory is about 1 320 000 hectares.
Despite the strict protection within the EU, the population of bears in Slovakia requires an active management. This is largely achieved by planned intervention in the population (capturing), based on exemptions from the Law of nature and landscape protection. This intervention is only carried out in cases where bears cause damage to agricultural crops, livestock, bee hives, hunting game and, not at least, to human health.

(see Figure 1): Map of sites where brown bears are protected

Despite such active management of the brown bear, the population in Slovakia is balanced, or increasing, as confirmed by the statistics:

• at the end of the first third of the 20th century, it was estimated that there were about 20 individuals,

• in 1945, it was estimated that there were 50 up to 80 individuals,

• in the 1960s and 1970s, the estimate rose to between 300 and 350 individuals,

• at present, the estimate is about 850 brown bears.

Wolf (Canis lupus L.)

It is prohibited at all times to catch, injure and kill wolves as well as to destroy their homes, especially with young cubs, in the following areas:

• in the districts of Rožňava and Košice okolie, in the NP Slovak Karst, including the territory west from the state road, starting at the village Háj, through the village Turňa nad Bodvou up to the border-crossing Dvorníky, in the district Čadca, in the areas north-east of the state highway, from the border-crossing Bumbálka up to the village Makov, and north-west of the River Kysuca and its left-side tributary stream Oščadnica up to the village Oščadnica; from the village Oščadnica, the area bounded by the south boundary of the Oščadnica cadastral municipality, up to the state border with Poland.

(see Figure 2): Map of sites where the wolf is protected all year

Lynx (Lynx lynx L.)

The conservation and management of the lynx is covered by the previously mentioned laws, and the social value of one individual is EUR 2 655.51. Lynx is protected all year round, thus active management is carried out only by exemption from the Ministry of Environment in the event of major damage. In practice, capturing has not been exercised since 1999.

(see Figure 3): Map of sites where there is a lynx protected all year