Coexistence with brown bears is one of the most important conservation and socio-political issues on the European continent. In countries where bears are widespread, research into their biology and ecology is being conducted, along with conservation projects aimed at improving human-bear coexistence. The objectives of conservation projects, including international ones, are to improve the management of brown bear populations, introduce methods to achieve conservation goals, test and implement measures to reduce conflicts between bears and residents, and raise awareness and educate the public.
In December 2024, the Dutch magazine Vrij Nederland published a popular article on how researchers and managers in various European countries have approached reducing conflicts between bears and humans, as well as introducing measures to increase tolerance for coexistence and improve management. The author of the article also interviewed the coordinators of two international LIFE projects, the Spanish LIFE Human Bear Coex Slovenian-Croatian-Italian LIFE DINALP BEAR.
Our coordinator from the Slovenian Forest Service, Rok Černe, outlined the project’s activities and objectives to the journalist and presented the solutions we have implemented to reduce the problems faced by the local population with bears: electric fences for livestock, bear-proof trash cans and compost bins, shepherd dogs, deterrents to reduce traffic fatalities, and the work of intervention teams. They also discussed the purpose and appropriateness of the management and conservation measures of culling bears and aversive conditioning with rubber bullets.
