In the cadastral area of Valča, a bear attacked a cyclist; in the cadastral area of Turany, a female bear attacked a man. The Brown Bear Response Team – FATRA responded at both locations.
In the cadastral area of Valča, near the Snowland Valčianska dolina sports and recreation center, a brown bear attacked a person on Friday, August 7, in the early evening hours. The predator attacked an elderly man riding a bicycle near the barrier at the entrance to the valley. The incident occurred at approximately 7:00 PM and caused multiple bite and laceration injuries to the victim.
The injured man, Miroslav H., 55 years old, managed to make his way independently to the nearest cabins after the attack, from where emergency medical services were called via the 112 emergency line. The patient was subsequently transported to Martin University Hospital, where he underwent surgery.
The Brown Bear Response Team – FATRA was immediately called to the incident site and conducted an operational deployment in close cooperation with members of the Police Force of the Slovak Republic. Team members searched the entire area, but the attacking individual was no longer present. The response team monitored the area until late night hours and left the site around 10:00 PM.
State conservationists continued monitoring and inspecting the area repeatedly on Saturday from early morning. However, they found no unnatural attractant or feeding site at the location or in the wider surroundings. The bear in question has not yet been identified. The response team, in cooperation with local authorities, therefore called on residents, cabin owners, and visitors to Valčianska dolina to exercise increased caution when moving through forested terrain.
On Sunday, August 9, shortly before 5:00 PM, the Brown Bear Response Team – FATRA received an emergency report from the Operations Center of the District Police Directorate in Žilina about a bear attack on a person. The incident occurred in the cadastral area of Turany, in close proximity to the Turany – Trusalová highway connector. The victim of the attack was 42-year-old Peter S., who was attacked by a female bear with two cubs.
The attacked man suffered serious bite and laceration injuries during the encounter. Despite severe injuries, he managed to move on his own to the D1 highway, where emergency medical services were immediately called. Paramedics transported the man to Martin University Hospital after initial treatment.
The FATRA Response Team immediately launched an extensive search operation in cooperation with the Sučany Volunteer Fire Brigade to identify the dangerous individual. They deployed two drones with thermal imaging to monitor the area. Thanks to this technology, the attacking female bear and two cubs were quickly located.
Given the immediate threat to the health and lives of residents in close proximity to the transportation infrastructure, the FATRA Response Team proceeded with the immediate and safe elimination of the female bear and both cubs. Subsequent examination of the dead animal revealed that the female bear had extremely worn teeth, indicating her advanced age and possible reduced ability to obtain natural food.
Veľká FATRA National Park Administration, in cooperation with the police, once again appeals to the public to avoid this area and exercise increased caution.
