Sweden begins brown bear hunting season with conservationists warning of a 20% drop in number

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Brown bear hunting in Sweden has started with 486 licenses to kill them, but conservationists warned that the move would result in a 20% drop in the country’s predator population. When the figure for this year’s bear hunting was released in June, the Swedish Carnivore Association — a non-profit and independent advocacy group — said the decision could have major consequences for the bear population in the country. In Sweden, the number of bears has dropped in recent years chiefly due to the expected effect of licensed hunting in recent years. The figure for hunting season in 2024 was down from previous years.