Slovakia Grapples with Series of Bear Attacks

A bear ran through a town in Slovakia, attacking five people, prompting a warning to residents and a search by emergency services. The bear remains at large despite efforts to track it down, and six armed patrols are working to prevent it from reentering inhabited areas. The incident follows the death of a 31-year-old woman who fell trying to escape a bear in a nearby mountain range. Improved environmental protection in central and eastern Europe has led to the return of bears to their natural habitats, resulting in a rise in bear attacks in Slovakia. A draft law has been proposed to address concerns and allow bears to be shot outside urban areas under certain conditions.