A woman was in critical condition on Wednesday after a bear attack in the forest area outside the Slovenian capital, police said.
Police said Tuesday's attack occurred on the edge of the forest in Skofljica, about 6 miles southeast of the capital.
After the attack, the bear retreated into the forest and police advised local residents to stay away and be cautious.
“At the same time, there are several hunters in the field who may stop bears from where contact with humans may occur,” police said. “We will do this if it is necessary to increase the number of hunters on site.”
The incident happened just days after authorities approved the phase-out of 206 brown bears, and the population in the region has increased to about 1,000 bears.
An alpine nation with just 2 million people is widely forested in many protected natural areas. Despite strong opposition from animal rights groups, authorities occasionally approve bear or wolf phase-out.
Slovenia's official STA news agency said two bear attacks on people were recorded in 2022.
Sergio pitamitz/vwpics/universal image group by Getty image
The Slovak countries in the northeast also fought against the population of brown bears and attacks on humans.
The BBC reported last month that lawmakers approved a plan to shoot about 350 brown bears in Slovakia after a man was killed while walking in the forest there.
In 2024, a The woman is dead In Slovakia, after being chased by bears through dense forests and mountainous terrain.
