Court ruling challenges bear culling, calls for stronger justification in future
The Environmental Board (Keskkonnaamet) has opted not to appeal the a court ruling which declared the hunting of bears to be illegal in Estonia – though this does not mean that the practice will cease.
Changes to hunting regulations now allow an annual bear cull, to preempt any threats to human lives or well-being.
This is in the context of instances of brown bears in the wild approaching humans doubling to 100 between last year and this year.
The board said better justification for hunting permits is enough, while animal rights advocate Eleri Lopp said she is prepared to challenge future decisions in court.
This year, 101 bears were culled, a number Lopp cannot contest for this season, but plans to challenge next year.
Environmental Board Deputy Director Leelo Kukk said that the 2022 case highlighted inadequate justification on hunting decisions. but noted improvements in subsequent rulings.
A 2023 bear cull case is still pending, and Kukk expects similar legal challenges next year.
She stressed the need for earlier, more thoroughly justified decisions to resolve legal disputes before hunting season begins, in August.
Lopp criticized the board for only modifying wording rather than substantively changing its practices, implying the disputes could become never-ending.
Lopp noted that Eurasian brown bears, a fourth-category protected species, cannot legally be culled for population control or in baited areas, as often occurs, unless damage prevention is proven to be needed.
The nonprofit Estonian large carnivores (Eesti Suurkiskjad) has long been litigating with the Environmental Board; a dispute about the culling of wolves, generally a much shier species, reaching the European Court of Justice (ECJ) even as the bear hunting issues continue to reach the domestic courts.
Lopp also declined to comment on her past involvement in hunting tourism as recently reported by regional daily Virumaa teataja, stating her focus is now solely on animal advocacy.
The second-tier Tallinn Circuit Court ruling declared bear hunting to be illegal, at least in terms of justification and quota levels. The court found retrospectively that the Environmental Board's 2022 bear culling permit quota of 90 was illegal, upholding an earlier county court decision.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Andrew Whyte, Merili Nael
Source: 'Aktuaalne kaamera,' reporter Hanneli Rudi.
