Slovenia is bear country.
Nearly 1,000 bears live in the forests of southern Slovenia (Kocevje forest)
These plantigrades – Ursus arctos – roam in their hundreds across the southern half of Slovenia, and their numbers are increasing all the time. The population has risen from 500-600 bears in 2012 to 1100 bears in 2023, according to estimates by the Slovenian government, which has decided that 230 bears should be culled to bring the population down to 800 bears by 2024 .
You won’t easily spot these ursidae just by setting off on foot in search of them in southern Slovenia. Slovenian bears shun humans and are gone before you even see them. In over ten years, I’ve only once come across a bear, stealthily, while hiking at the top of the magnificent Sneznik trail. To be sure of seeing Slovenian bears, you need to take part in a bear hunt with a local guide, which is unfortunately very expensive (€130/€250 per person).
Bear map of Slovenia: Where to see bears?
If you want to see bears during your stay, I recommend staying near Cerknica. You’ll be in the right place to see them, and not far from the motorway, which takes you to many of Slovenia’s most interesting attractions (the Adriatic Sea, the caves, Ljubljana, etc.) in just 40 minutes. In short, it seems to me to be the best spot.
Read the legend on the bear density map:
- Visoka gostota = high density
- Srednja gostota = medium density
- nizka gostota = low density
- obcasno prisosten = occasionally present
Bears in Slovenia are mainly found in these areas
If you are interested in a bear-watching holiday in Slovenia, visit the dinalpbear.eu website. The site is in English and Slovenian. It lists and studies bears in Slovenia.
Slovenian bear tracks in the forest
Following in the footsteps of bears in their natural habitat is also a great adventure. You won’t find bear scratches on the trees in Slovenia’s forests, but if you have a good eye, you can see bear tracks.
In areas where there are bears in Slovenia, they often follow the same paths as humans.
If they are wet or a little muddy, you may see tracks like the ones in these photos. If you’re doing this kind of research, try to be in the Slovenian forest at around 4.30am, just before sunrise, when nature is waking up. It’s fabulous, and if you don’t come across any bears, you’ll certainly see other animals.
Slovenian bears
They are not giants
They are smaller than polar bears and nowhere near the record held by the Alaskan Kodiak bear (780 kg). Chance encounters are very rare and if they do happen, don’t expect a huge beast. Slovenian bears often weight less than 200 kg and measure around 1m at the withers. They rarely stand upright. Only to grab berries or scratch their back on a tree trunk.
The Slovenian bear population is regulated by hunters
In Slovenia, the cohabitation between bears and humans goes well. If there are no major problems with farmers, it’s mainly because their population is regulated. Following the advice of biologists, the government issues hunting permits every year. As a result, bear steak and bear sausage can be found on the menu in some restaurants.
Slovenian bears are no slouches
The image probably comes partly from Winnie the Pooh or Baloo in the Jungle Book, but Slovenian bears are not clumsy or slow. They are agile and can move at 40 km/h. There’s no need to run to escape them or climb to the top of a tree. They do that too.
Better to face them and back away slowly.
Bears don’t want to be confronted either. In fact, attacks are very rare in Slovenia. Nor are they cuddly animals. They are tough-skinned enough to make their way through the dense primary forests of southern Slovenia, or to the heights, between the small pine trees found, for example, on the summit of Sneznik, the highest peak in southern Slovenia. If you go to southern Slovenia, this is a must-see hike starting from Sviščaki (4-hour round trip).
They’re not carnivores
Slovenian bears are omnivores and eat a lot of plants, as shown by their teeth, which have adapted to their diet. Their canines are impressive but not very sharp. Slovenian bears eat hazelnuts, insects, nuts, apples, pears… and sometimes cattle. In short, anything they can get their hands on. The most difficult period for them is early spring, when vegetation has not yet sprouted.
They rarely attack livestock such as sheep.
In the forests to the south of Slovenia, you’ll find that rubbish bins are fitted with large latches to prevent bears from rummaging around inside them. This is the case, for example, of the bins located at the entrance to Iski Vintgar, a deep river south of Ljubljana where the people of Ljubljana like to go to cool off in the height of summer, but which is also frequented by Slovenian bears because it lies to the north of their territory. You can see photos of these rubbish bins here.
Tito, the former leader of Yugoslavia, used to hunt bears.
slovenian bears hibernate but…
Barring a major thaw, you won’t see any Slovenian bears between December and March. They stay in their dens and lower their temperature by 2 to 5 degrees. Their heart rate slows down, their temperature drops… In short, they hibernate but do not remain completely immobile. When the weather’s fine, bears need wide open spaces. They travel long distances, as can be seen on this map of 8 bears with collars.
It’s not easy to find your way around the Slovenian service providers who offer these excursions. No miracle, the price per person is still high and if you’re not keen, I’d advise you to spend your holiday budget elsewhere in Slovenia.
Slovenia is not the only country with bears
There are between 2,500 and 3,000 bears in the Balkan countries, particularly in the Dinaric Alps. It would seem that the sounds of fighting during the break-up of Yugoslavia brought bears to Slovenia, which had a very short war, unlike Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia.
Here is a map of all the places where bears can be found. There are also many bears in Romania, in the Carpathians.
A population that has doubled in ten years
Thanks to its protection, the Slovenian bear population has increased in the ten years between 1998 and 2008. In 1998, there were just 290 bears. There are now between 900 and 1,000.
A four-year study showed that Slovenian bears caused 2,419 incidents resulting in €590,793 in compensation:
- 36% of incidents involved shepherds
- 20% beekeepers
- 17% farmers
- 11% arboriculturists.
For all that, bears are well accepted by the population and for the time being, hardly anyone is calling for them to be removed from Slovenian territory or for the population to be reduced.
The Slovenian word for bear is Medved.
Med: honey
Ved : the eater.
Medved: the honey eater
However, you can sometimes find traces of its claws if you look carefully at nature as you walk around southern Slovenia.
Photos of bears and cubs by Slovenian photographer Janko Ferlic
Slovenian bears, a video to discover!
While you’re waiting to see bears in Slovenia, here’s a wonderful video showing Slovenian bears and cubs.
A Slovenian bear equipped with a Go Pro
The Toulouse Natural History Museum equipped Tolosa, a Slovenian bear living in Slovenia, with a camera for a month. The results of this experiment can be seen here.
A map with all the information you need to see them
What to do if you come across a bear while hiking in Slovenia?
1. Slowly back away from where you came from to make room for the bear and let it continue on its way. Face the bear. Above all, don’t run away – a bear runs much faster than you do.
2. If it hasn’t seen you and is heading towards you, signal by speaking softly. Back away slowly to show that you are not a threat.
3. Don’t throw stones or pieces of wood at it. A bear that feels attacked could attack back.
4. Don’t try to climb a tree. Bears are excellent climbers.
5. If a Slovenian bear attacks you (a very rare occurrence), don’t retaliate. They are stronger than you.
Facts about Slovenian wolves
They frequent the same areas as Slovenian bears, as you can see on this map.