Armed units against bears: controversial demand in Bavaria

Armed units against bears: controversial demand in Bavaria

a new solution for the bear problem in Bavaria

The debate about armed units against bears in Bavaria has heated the minds. The district administrator Indra Baier-Müller has submitted a proposal to be discussed controversially. In her letter to Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber, she speaks for the establishment of an armed Bavarian willingness to brown bears. This unit should be responsible for the scanning and killing of bears in order to ensure security in the Alpine -based regions.

uniform strategies against potential bear settlements

The Ministry of the Environment in Munich, however, has reacted reluctantly to the proposal. It emphasizes that there is currently no proof of bears in Bavaria. Furthermore, no permanent bear settlements can be expected. The experts from the State Office for the Environment focus on observation, information transfer and preventive measures, for example to avoid damage to cattle.

The district administrator had launched the Braunbär initiative a year ago to network those responsible in the Alpine -based regions. The viewed brown bears in Bavaria probably come from northern Italy and occasionally migrate to the Free State via Austria. In the Italian province of Trentino there is again a stock of around 100 brown bears after a resettlement project was successful.

successful intervention teams in other countries

Compared to other countries, Bavaria has fewer problems with brown bears. Around 1,300 brown bears live in Slovakia, for which special intervention teams are responsible. These teams focus on clarification and prevention to avoid dangerous encounters with people. Only in extreme emergencies is a shot of a bear considered. There are also similar measures in the Czech Republic, where only a small population of brown bears in the Beskiden mountain range is located.

It remains to be seen how the discussion about armed units against bears in Bavaria will continue. The security of the citizens and the protection of the wildlife are the focus, and a diplomatic solution that respects both the living space of the bears and guarantees the safety of the population is of crucial importance.

- Nag