A 31-year-old woman from Belarus has died after being chased by a bear in Slovakia’s Low Tatras mountain range.
The woman was walking with a 29-year-old man when the couple came across the animal on Friday evening.
The pair ran in opposite directions, and the man lost sight of the woman as she was chased by the bear, Slovak Mountain Rescue Service said.
Rescuers with a dog and thermal imaging drones immediately started scouring the area after mountain rescue officials were alerted.
The woman’s body was discovered by a search dog at the bottom of a steep ravine.
It is unclear how the woman died, and whether she was killed by the bear or a fall.
An investigation has been launched into the cause and circumstances of her death.
Members of the Slovak Mountain Rescue Service. Pic: Slovak Mountain Rescue Service
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The bear was still nearby when the body was found, and was scared off by the dog, shouts, and a warning gunshot.
The victim’s male companion was found “scared but unhurt” at the top of the ravine.
The woman’s body was recovered from the forest and taken to the nearby village of Lucky.
The animals are common in the country’s mountains.
In 2021, a man was killed by a bear in central Slovakia. Local media reported it was the first fatal attack in more than a century.
Oh, come on, it’s just a bear! People are so overreacting. Bears are not inherently dangerous, we just need to learn how to coexist with them.
I disagree with the author’s suggestion that it is the bear’s fault. The woman was trespassing in the bear’s habitat. I feel sorry for the bear, it was only protecting what was rightfully its.
This awful story has an very sad end. I can´t imagine how she felt when she was chased by the bear. It must have been a horrible death
This is so sad. I hope that her family and friends can find some comfort in knowing that she died doing something she loved.
Poor woman. She was just trying to enjoy a day in the woods, and look at what happened. This serves as a reminder that we need to be careful and attentive of our surroundings.
This is a cautionary tale for all of us. We need to be aware of our surroundings and take precautions when we’re in bear country.
This is so sad! Bears are magnificent creatures, but encounters like this are tragic. It is important to keep a safe distance in order to avoid such incidents.
I’m so sad to hear about this. Bears are such beautiful creatures, and it’s a shame that this woman had to lose her life in such a way.
What was she thinking? Bears are dangerous animals, and she should have known better than to go hiking alone in bear country.
Bears are apex predators, and they should be respected as such. This woman’s death is a tragic reminder of the dangers of ignoring the natural order.
Oh my god, this is terrible! I can’t believe something like this could happen. I’m so sorry for the woman’s family.
I can’t believe this happened. It’s like something out of a horror movie. I’m never going camping again!