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Sweden's Controversial Bear Hunt Targets 20% of Population, Sparking Conservation Concerns. Sweden’s bear hunt could reduce the population to 2,000, nearly 40% less than in 2008, according to The Guardian. Experts warn that large predator populations in Europe, including Sweden, are at risk of collapse. Sweden’s brown bear population, once near extinction in the 1920s, faces significant decline due to hunting. Last year, 722 brown bears were killed in Sweden; this year, licenses are issued for 486. A 2022 law gives local hunting associations more control over predator management, raising concerns. Some within Sweden's hunting community worry about the decreasing number of brown bears. High hunting quotas may breach the EU habitat directive, which strictly protects brown bears. Conservationists argue that a larger bear population could boost ecological tourism, benefiting Sweden's economy. Continued high hunting rates could push Sweden's bear population close to a critical minimum.
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