1. Representative of the Polish Hunting Association
Updates on large carnivore challenges in Poland Workshop at Women and Sustainable Hunting Conference IV, Ilomantsi, Finland 2018
Representative of the Polish Hunting Association
President of the Hunting Spitz Club, Polish Hunting Association
Hunter
Breeder of Karelian bear dog
Mrs Martyna Binek – Kasperkowiak

2. brown bear, the wolf and lynx
Poland is a country in Europe that prides itself on the occurrence of all three of the largest predators living on the European continent
brown bear, the wolf and lynx
Lynx - individuals
492
Braun Bear - individuals
304
Wolf - individuals
2390

3. Brown bear – the legal status in Poland
Bears has been protected in Poland since 1952 (Ministry of Forestry), however no hunting since 1944
Currently, the legal status of bears is regulated by the Ministry of the Environment
Bear strictly protected species that requires active protection
Possibility to create protection zones of 500 m around the bear's lair
The range of the population is not continuous
Permanent occurrence of the species are in limited areas in Poland ( Bieszczady, Beskid Niski (Magurski National Park and its neighborhood), Gorce, Tatra Mountains nd Beskid Żywiecki.
Reproduction areas are limited to the Bieszczady, Tatra and Beskid Żywiecki
Population in Poland is about 304 individuals (2017)

4. Lynx - the legal status of the species in Poland
Protection started 1995 (Ministry of the Environment)
Strictly protected species
Special habitat protection areas (Natura 2000 network).
Currently lynx occur mainly in the Carpathians and forests of the north-eastern and eastern parts of the country.
Population in Poland is about 439 individuals (2017)

5. Wolf – legal status in Poland
The wolf has been strictly protected species in Poland since 1998
The legal status of the wolf is regulated by the Ministry of the Environment
Possibility to establish a protection zone (up to 500 m from the breeding site)
Wolves live in all the larger forests troughout in Poland and population is increasing
The population is estimated to be 2390 individuals in Poland (2017)

6. No official estimates for large carnivores population in Poland yet

7. Benefits or harms? Wolf Number of reported damages: 621
Value of compensations paid annually: thousand zł
Lynx
Number of reported damages: 12
Vvalue of compensations paid: 10.7 thousand zł
Bear (main impact for beekeeping, livestock breeding, crop)
Material damage to buildings and property in heavily populated or intensive tourism areas Damages amounted 176 thousand PLN/ year (average)
The biggest damages are caused by bears are destroying beehives in apiaries

8. Thank you!