Woman, 31, dies after being chased by bear in Slovakia

A tragic incident occurred as a 31-year-old woman lost her life following an encounter with a bear in Slovakia.

The woman, originally from Belarus, was hiking with a male friend in the Low Tatras mountain range when they came across the brown bear.

According to the man, they both fled in different directions in the Demänovská Valley, a popular area for hikers characterized by dense forests and steep ravines.

On Friday evening, the Slovak Mountain Rescue Service discovered the woman’s body with the assistance of a search dog after her friend sought help, as reported by the BBC.

During the recovery process, the bear was in close proximity to the scene and had to be frightened away by multiple gunshots from the Mountain Rescue Service.

It remains uncertain whether the woman was killed by the bear or succumbed to injuries from a fall. Authorities stated they would disclose this information if it is confirmed that the bear was responsible for her death.

Brown bears are prevalent in eastern and north-eastern Europe, primarily inhabiting the Carpathian Mountains spanning Ukraine, Slovakia, Poland, and Romania.

Slovakia’s brown bear population faced extinction in the 1930s but has since rebounded, with an estimated 1,275 bears currently residing in the country, according to researchers.

The country has witnessed a rise in bear-related incidents, including a fatal attack in 2021, marking the first such fatality in Slovakia in over a century.