Tallinn court revokes preliminary legal protection in bear hunting dispute
Tallinn Administrative Court has revoked the preliminary legal protection imposed on the order of the Estonian Environmental Board, which suspended bear hunting for the duration of the court proceedings. Bear hunting in Estonia can resume from Thursday, August 14.
Leelo Kukk, deputy director general of the Environmental Board responsible for wildlife, confirmed that the revocation of the preliminary legal protection means bear hunting can now begin.
"Bears are doing very well here, there are more of them than ever before, and according to the Environmental Board, there are at least 1,000 bears living in Estonia. Despite the preventive measures taken so far, bears have continued to raid beehives and destroy silage bales. Bears are also increasingly venturing into settlements. Therefore, moderate and targeted hunting is necessary to prevent significant damage and avoid direct conflict between humans and bears," Kukk explained.
According to the board's large carnivore management plan, at least 70 bear dens including cubs should be maintained in Estonia, but based on monitoring done in autumn 2024 by another state agency, the Environmental Agency (Keskkonnaagentuur ), the number of dens was estimated to be at least 112.
The administrative court's ruling can be appealed in the Tallinn Circuit Court.
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Editor: Michael Cole, Kert Kristjan Viira
