Following the death of a person in Slovakia due to a bear attack, the government has approved the shooting of 350 bears by 2025. The decision to allow the killing of 350 bears this year was announced to the public by Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico amidst increasing bear attacks. Slovakia, a Central European country, is home to a bear population in many mountainous regions, estimated to range from a thousand to 3 thousand. According to reports in the Slovakian press, last week a 59-year-old man was attacked and killed by a bear while out for a walk in the town of Detva. Fico, in a press conference broadcasted live on Facebook today, stated, “We cannot live in a country where people are afraid to go into the forest or become prey to bears.” The Slovakian Ministry of Environment also mentioned in their statement that they will follow the example of Romania. Romania had doubled the number of bears allowed to be killed to 481 in the past year. In Slovakia, 144 bears were killed last year. According to Slovakian government data, there were 13 cases recorded last year of bears attacking humans.