Environmental Board approves hunting of two yard-visiting bears

Estonia’s Environmental Board has issued special permits to hunt two young bears that repeatedly entered home yards in the Võõbu village area of Järva County despite efforts to drive them back into the forest, ERR reported.

The bears, both about one and a half years old, show no fear of people and could therefore pose a danger, the board said.

Tanel Türna, head of the board’s hunting and aquatic life department, said the animals’ behaviour was highly unusual. On Wednesday, the bears were in people’s yards in Võõbu and did not even react to a fire engine’s siren, he said.

“It is unfortunately possible that people themselves caused this behaviour. Bears of this age should have developed a fear of humans, rather than seeking food in a settlement,” Türna said.

He said the animals appeared to have been fed by people, which had disrupted their natural behaviour. All usual deterrents had been tried repeatedly, but the bears continued returning to settlements, indicating an established pattern, Türna said.

Three bears have been seen in the area, but one has not returned to the settlement.

Türna said permits to hunt problem bears were not issued lightly and represented a last resort. The Environmental Board had contacted zoos and animal parks, but none had room for the bears, he said.

The board urged people not to seek contact with wild animals and never to feed them. Bears that lose their fear of humans and their ability to find food independently can become a danger to pets and people, Türna said.

In April, the Ministry of Climate amended hunting rules so that bears may be hunted only with a special permit from the Environmental Board. The permit system allows persistent predator conflicts to be addressed more flexibly by directing hunting to areas affected by damage and to biologically suitable times.

There is no longer a bear hunting season with fixed start and end dates. The Environmental Board may issue a special permit at any time of year, provided the decision has been carefully assessed. Such permits may be issued only to prevent repeated bear damage and dangerous situations.

Including the two permits issued on Thursday, the board has authorised six special bear-hunting permits this year.

Estonia’s brown bear population has been growing since 2013 and is currently estimated at about 1,100 animals. Bears are being encountered increasingly often in and near settlements, where easily accessible food frequently attracts them.

The Environmental Board advised residents to prevent bears from accessing food and to store leftover garden produce in closed composters or sealed compost bins.