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CNN World Report

brown bears Overpopulated in Slovenia

Aired May 06, 2001 - 14:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SHIHAB RATTANSI, CNN ANCHOR: Solvenia has the second-largest brown bear population in Europe because of rigorous hunting bans. Dense woods that cover half of the alpine country are an ideal habitat for the 700 bears that make Slovenia their home.

ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: But the laws that are protecting the bear population now put humans in danger as run-ins with the animals have become commonplace.

POP TV Slovenia brings us the gives the story of a farmer who survived a bear attack.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA JANEZIC, POP TV REPORTER (voice-over): Stanko Gruden lives on the farm approximately 100 meeters away from the main road. On his way home he accidentally met a female bear and her two little ones one day. Scared that Stanko would harm the cubs, the bear attacked him.

STANKO GRUDEN, BEAR ATTACK VICTIM (through translator): When you look at me you can see what the bear can do to a human, but it didn't attack just me. Two days ago, a bear also (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in my stable. Something has to be done.

JANEZIC: As he says, he still respects bears, but meeting them almost every day is a little bit unpleasant.

GRUDEN (through translator): I don't suggest hunters kill bears. I just think we have to make a game reserve for them.

JANEZIC: It is easier to be said than to be done. Bears are not very social animals, and because of the unique feeding habits, it needs a large living space.

CRTOMIR VITHAR, HUNTER (through translator): Searching for the food, bear can walk more than 50 kilometers in one night. It moves constantly.

JANEZIC: Slovenia measures approximately 23,000 square kilometers. The normal living space of one bear is 50 square kilometers. While searching for food, bear often failed to arrive to the villages. And as the experts say, this animal has a good memory. MIHA ADARNIC, PROFESSOR (through translator): When a bear finds some food it likes, it remembers that forever. It will come back sooner or later. This is how people attract bears near their houses.

JANEZIC: The main mistake that the habitants of the bear areas are making recently, is that they breed sheep. Scenes like this are common. Bears often kill all the sheep, although usually it's only one or none. Because the bear is dangerous to animals and people, sometimes hunters have to kill it.

ADARNIC (through translator): There is danger because it is a big animal. It has claws and strong jaws. It can easily kill a person.

JANEZIC: Before 1960, the brown bear was protected by law in Slovenia. In the '60s the hunting was permitted again, however, 30 years later, the Slovinian Parliament decided that we have to protect this animal, and passed a law upon bear hunting.

The number of animals has grown enormously from that time. Now Slovinia is looking for a solution. The number of brown bears should be reduced, but because the bear is an endangered species killing them is not acceptable.

(on camera): Slovinia tried to deport bears, but because this is a large and dangerous animal, European countries didn't want them. So brown bear remains the proud and fear of Slovinian forests.

Barbara Janezic, POP TV, Slovenia, for the CNN WORLD REPORT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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