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[NB06] Brown bear
State

Key message
Neutral

The population of brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Slovenia forms part of the larger population in the Alps – the Dinaric Alps (Dinarides) and the Pindus Mountains. It is one of the largest populations of brown bear in Europe. The number of bears in this population is estimated at 2,100–2,500. The state of the population in Slovenia has been monitored by the Slovenia Forest Service since 1995 and is deemed to be favourable. Brown bears live in large forested areas; in Slovenia, they are present in fir and beech forests of the high karst massifs, so the brown bear population indicator indirectly reflects the status of this forest landscape, which is largely included in the Natura 2000 network.

Charts

Figure NB06-1: Number of incidents caused by the brown bear
Sources:

Statistical data on incidents caused by the brown bear to human assets, Slovenia Forest Service, 2015, Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia, 2015

Show data
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
incidents number 57 45 81 105 138 139 123 503 239 466
damage in EUR EUR 11795 25621 40580 120653 99825 52638 44240 131377 64922 124129
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
incidents number 817 589 294 625 380 629 311 592 364 519
damage in EUR EUR 194866 145160 81866 171353 154314 252497 113703 232339 145066 192206
2015
incidents number 339
damage in EUR EUR 143321
Figure NB06-2: Structure of brown bears eliminated from the wild
Sources:

Statistical data on structure of elimination from the brown bear population, Slovenia Forest Service, 2015.

Show data
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
males number 23 31 23 38 36 38 34 73 45 49
females number 12 17 20 20 19 25 20 42 26 29
unknown number 1 1 0 3 1 0 2 1 1 2
males % 63.9 63.3 53.5 62.3 64.3 60.3 60.7 62.9 62.5 61.3
females % 33.3 34.7 46.5 32.8 33.9 39.7 35.7 36.2 36.1 36.3
unknown % 2.8 2 0 4.9 1.8 0 3.6 0.9 1.4 2.5
up to 100 kg number 17 29 28 32 37 41 33 86 53 52
from 101 to 150 kg number 12 15 13 20 7 16 14 20 13 17
above 150 kg number 6 5 2 8 11 6 7 9 6 9
unknown number 1 np np 1 1 np 2 1 np 2
total number 36 49 43 61 56 63 56 116 72 80
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
males number 50 64 59 51 54 60 31 75 27 71
females number 45 60 48 38 29 48 29 54 26 71
unknown number 0 2 1 3 2 0 4 3 5 1
males % 52.6 50.8 54.6 55.4 63.5 55.6 48.4 56.8 46.6 49.7
females % 47.4 47.6 44.4 41.3 34.1 44.4 45.3 40.9 44.8 49.7
unknown % 0 1.6 0.9 3.3 2.4 0 6.3 2.3 8.6 0.6
up to 100 kg number 69 81 72 65 55 74 44 101 43 99
from 101 to 150 kg number 22 31 21 21 19 26 13 21 9 24
above 150 kg number 4 13 15 5 10 8 7 10 6 18
unknown number np np np 1 1 np 0 0 0 2
total number 95 125 108 92 85 108 64 132 58 143
2015
males number 71
females number 45
unknown number 0
males % 61.2
females % 38.8
unknown % 0
up to 100 kg number 80
from 101 to 150 kg number 23
above 150 kg number 13
unknown number 0
total number 116
Figure NB06-3: Brown bears eliminated from the wild by reason
Sources:

Statistical data on the structure of elimination from the brown bear population, Slovenia Forest Service, 2015.

Show data
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Regular kills number 30 34 25 42 36 37 33 65 46 46
Extraordinary kills number 2 9 7 8 6 8 8 25 15 14
Capture number 2 1 2 3 2 3
Losses number 4 4 10 11 12 15 13 23 11 20
Kills - total number 32 43 32 50 42 45 41 90 61 60
Eliminated bears - total number 36 49 43 61 56 63 56 116 72 80
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Regular kills number 36 76 68 61 56 93 51 85 44 109
Extraordinary kills number 37 18 21 14 13 5 6 15 4 11
Capture number 5
Losses number 22 27 19 17 16 10 7 32 10 23
Kills - total number 73 94 89 75 69 98 57 100 48 120
Eliminated bears - total number 95 126 108 92 85 108 64 132 58 143
2015
Regular kills number 93
Extraordinary kills number 6
Capture number
Losses number 17
Kills - total number 99
Eliminated bears - total number 116
Figure NB06-4: Spring and autumn population structure of the brown bear during the period 2004-2015
Sources:

Statistical data on the monitoring of abundance trends and the population structure of the brown bear, Slovenia Forest Service and Slovenian Hunting Association, 2015.

Show data
spring autumn
female bears with offspring 0+ % 9 15
female bears with offspring 1+ % 9 5
offsprnig 0+ % 17 28
offspring 1+ % 19 11
other bears % 46 41
Figure NB06-5: Average number of bears observed per counting point
Sources:

Statistical data on the monitoring of abundance trends and the population structure of the brown bear, Slovenia Forest Service and Slovenian Hunting Association, 2015.

Show data
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
spring number 0.8 1.15 0.95 0.46 1.22 0.82 1.23 0.51 1.17 1.02
total number 0.84 1.16 1.03 0.71 1.09 0.95 1.09 0.76 1.13 1.06
2014 2015
spring number 1.49 1.14
total number 1.42 1.2

Goals

The objective, as determined by the Resolution on National Environmental Action Plan 2005-2012, is to maintain a favourable state of the brown bear population and to decrease conflicts.

Methodology

Date of data source summarization

Related indicators

Last modified
20.07.2016
Author(s)

Miha Marenče, Slovenia forest service; Mateja Blažič, Slovenian environment agency