Tallinn Circuit Court suspends culling of problem bears — ERR News
In Estonia, the Tallinn Circuit Court has suspended permits to cull bears classified as problematic pending a decision on an appeal by the environmental organization Eesti Suurkiskjad. The organization challenged in court 11 orders by the Environmental Board that allowed hunting such animals.
As ERR News reports, the Tallinn Administrative Court had previously partially granted the organization’s request for interim legal protection. Some of the permits issued remained in force at the time, while others were suspended until the case was finally resolved. The circuit court has now also suspended the permits under which the administrative court allowed culling to continue on September 14.
Environmental Board’s position
Tanel Türna, head of the Hunting and Aquatic Life Department at the Environmental Board, said that special culling permits are used in carefully considered and justified cases. According to him, this concerns bears that pose a danger to people, as well as animals that repeatedly cause damage.
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The agency noted that Estonia’s brown bear population is growing, which is why problems in interactions between people and animals have arisen almost daily recently. The Environmental Board objects to the complaint and seeks to keep the permits in force. At the same time, the court decision does not prevent the issuance of new justified special permits concerning problem bears.
Bear population
According to the Environmental Board’s estimate, the number of brown bears in the country has been growing since 2013 and now stands at about 1,100 animals. This autumn, the agency issued orders to cull 30 problem bears. Hunters have already killed 10 animals under these permits. The organization Eesti Suurkiskjad has previously also challenged permits for hunting bears and wolves.
