Bear strikes twice in one hour: man and woman injured

The same bear struck twice south of the Slovenian capital. The animal was protecting her cubs.

About an hour before the bear attacked a 59-year-old woman near Škofljica, another hiker had already encountered the animal in the same area. He came across a bear in the forest and tried to run away, but the bear caught up with him and injured him slightly. It was a female bear with two cubs. The bear caught up with the hiker and scratched him, resulting in only minor injuries.

About an hour later, a 59-year-old woman who was walking her dog came across a bear in a wooded area of Gradišče nad Pijava Gorico in the municipality of Škofljica. She was seriously injured in the attack and was taken by ambulance to Ljubljana University Hospital, where she is still being treated. According to the latest information, her life remains in danger.

Following Tuesday's attack, the municipality of Škofljica has arranged extra transport for citizens who travel through the forest daily. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning has also just issued a permit to cull 206 bears by the end of 2026.

Many brown bears currently have cubs in Slovenia and they want to protect their young when someone, with or without a dog, suddenly appears on their path in the forest.

(SR - Source: 24UR - Illustrative photo: ©Unsplash)