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🗞️ Driving the news: Sweden's government has approved the culling of 486 brown bears—20% of the country's wild population—during this year's annual licensed hunt, sparking backlash from conservation groups

🔭 The context: The Eurasian brown bear population in Sweden, once on the brink of extinction, has been steadily recovering since protective measures were introduced in 1927
•  Despite the growth in numbers, campaigners argue that the current hunting quotas are too high and threaten the long-term stability of the bear population

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The hunt raises concerns about the sustainability of Sweden's wildlife management practices, particularly given the brown bear's status as a protected species within the EU

⏭️ What's next: Environmental groups, including Sweden’s Big Five, plan to file formal complaints with the European Commission, challenging the legality of the bear hunt under EU conservation laws

💬 One quote: “We can absolutely not continue to shoot this many bears if we are to have a stable bear population,” warns Jonas Kindberg, leader of the Scandinavian Bear Research Project

📈 One stat: Last year, the bear population in Sweden dropped to 2,450 after the licensed hunt, down from a peak of 3,300 in 2008

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