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The Estonian Environmental Agency allows up to 51 brown bears to be killed during the bear hunting period starting on August 1st. This is 11 individuals more than last year. The brown bear is a protected species which means that the hunt is directed at ”nuisance” individuals in order to limit the damage caused by bears.

 

According to the Hunting Act the Estonian Environmental Board (Keskkonnaamet) decides the number to be shot, with the current Status of game populations report from the Environmental Agency and proposals from the hunting councils as a basis.

 

The hunting limit for bears differs by counties; the basis for deciding the quotas is the frequency of damage cases and the number of specimens causing damage in the area in question. Within the counties the hunt may be concentrated to particular hunting areas in order to ensure that ”nuisance specimens” will primarily be hunted.

 

Bear hunting quotas by counties:

In deciding the hunting limits for bears it has been included as premises that we have to do with a European protected species and that Estonia has been given special licence for hunting bears. Bears may be hunted with the aim to avoid damage. The population of bears should be ensured at a level of 60 families (litters) with cubs from the current year according to the project plan for game animal population management. No upper limit for the population is set in the programme with respect to the possibilities of an increased habitation area. The number is regulated at a level that guarantees its stability or a slight increasing trend.

 

In 2014, 74 bear litters with cubs from the same year were noted in Estonia in the surveillance count; the total population can be estimated at 650-700 individuals according to the 2014 survey by the Estonain Environmental Agency.

 

The surveillance report can be read at: LINK

 

Summary in English, p 99-100; about bears pp 50-54 (report pagination).

Map & figure captions in English