Sweden has kicked off its annual brown bear hunting season last Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of over 150 bears in just the first few days.
According to information from Iflscience, the Swedish government has approved the culling of 486 brown bears, equivalent to 20% of the wild bear population, from August 21 to October 15. However, this decision is causing significant controversy and receiving criticism from animal and environmental conservation organizations.
Each year, Sweden organizes a brown bear hunting season, causing much controversy in the international community. The hunting season usually lasts for several months, often starting in late summer or early autumn.
According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, in less than two days since the hunting began, 152 bears have been shot dead. This raises concerns among conservationists as brown bears are classified as “strictly protected species” under European Union regulations. This mass hunting contradicts the spirit of species protection and shocks many who care about conservation.
Truls Gulowsen, head of the Norwegian Wildlife Conservation Organization, expressed deep concern about this event when speaking to The Guardian: “We are very concerned about this culling. This represents a significant and rather large reduction in the Scandinavian brown bear population. As Sweden intensifies its efforts to reduce the number of brown bears, this will affect the survival of the entire Scandinavian brown bear population.”
The Swedish government will decide on a specific number allowed for hunting each year based on estimates of the bear population. Those wishing to participate in hunting must have a valid license issued by the Swedish hunting management authority. Hunting areas are usually clearly designated, often in vast forests where brown bears reside.
In the early 20th century, brown bears were hunted to the brink of extinction in Sweden, but thanks to conservation efforts, their numbers in the country have gradually recovered. By 2008, the brown bear population in Sweden peaked at nearly 3,300. However, this number has decreased to 2,450 last year.
The Swedish “Big Five” predator protection project has warned that: “100 years of efforts to conserve brown bears in Sweden is currently being undone at an alarming rate.” This project states that the Swedish government has a clear plan to reduce the bear population to 1,400, which is the minimum necessary to maintain a viable bear population.
In 2022, Sweden allowed the hunting of 648 bears under the licensed quota, and another 74 were killed in protection hunting campaigns, totaling 722 bears killed. Jonas Kindberg, head of the Scandinavian Bear Project run by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, emphasized: “We absolutely cannot continue shooting so many bears if we want to maintain a stable bear population of around 2,400 as it is now.”
Hunters typically use guns to shoot bears. However, regulations on weapons and hunting methods are strictly enforced to ensure safety and humanity. According to the Swedish government, hunting brown bears aims to control population numbers, protect property, and maintain ecological balance.
This hunting action not only negatively impacts the brown bear population but also could have widespread effects on the entire ecosystem. Brown bears play a crucial role in seed dispersal and controlling the populations of other animal species; thus, the loss of brown bears could cause ecological imbalance and affect various other species.
In fact, brown bears are not the only species facing population control measures in Sweden. In 2023, the Swedish government approved the largest wolf culling campaign in modern history, and just weeks later, they announced the culling of hundreds of lynxes.
This year, for the first time, police will accompany hunters to ensure security during the hunting process, due to the ongoing controversy surrounding the culling. This is to prepare for potential protests from animal rights advocates and conservation organizations.
Animal protection organizations condemn the hunting of brown bears, arguing that it violates animal rights and threatens the species’ existence. Many believe that hunting brown bears will negatively impact the eco-tourism industry, which relies on wildlife conservation. Some argue that hunting may help maintain ecological balance, preventing overpopulation of bears that could harm other animal species and agriculture.
Sweden’s annual brown bear hunt has sparked much debate and outrage within the conservation community. With a large number of bears killed in the initial days, conservationists fear that efforts to protect brown bears over the past century are being reversed. The actions of the Swedish government not only impact the bear population but also threaten the balance of the ecosystem, raising significant questions about humanity’s role in protecting and conserving wildlife.
