About
The Save our Brown Bear citizens' initiative was founded in 2021 in Samobor, near Zagreb - the capital city of Croatia. The main goal of this initiative is to end trophy hunting of the brown bear and the abandonment of hunting as a tool in the regulation of the bear population. We advocate full brown bear protection in accordance with the legislation that has been passed.
We strive for acceptance of the status of the brown bear as a protected animal species. It is inadmissible to manage the brown bear under The Hunting Act. We also demand the removal of the exemption in relation to the Bern Convention, which allows hunting in Croatia in spite of strict protection of brown bears.
The Key Problems of Brown Bear Management in Croatia
Sustainability
Even though the brown bear is strictly protected in Croatia, the species is simultaneously treated as hunting game.
Hunting is allowed as long as it is proven in Action Plans that the species will continue to survive. Ever since the first
Brown Bear Management Plan came into force in 2005, 1,544 bears have been killed in hunting.
Commercial exploitation
The Management Plan and Action Plans did not enable adequate bear protection because they deal primarily with
commercial exploitation of the brown bear. Instead of enabling protection, Action Plans increasingly endanger the
brown bear.
Controversial population estimates
The size of the
population was last determined through genetic assessment in 2015, and its stability has not been verified through
new research ever since. Hunting quotas are being continually increased through annual Action Plans, and that can
largely be credited to pressure from hunting organizations.
Bad practices
The authorities that create
Action Plans do not cooperate with NGOs involved in wildlife protection, because they have
established long-term cooperation with hunting organizations, whose representatives are widely included in the
decision-making committee.