When people thinking of going to Europe to watch or photograph bears, they usually think of Finland. But in actual fact bears are spread widely across Europe all the way from Spain to Russia. In fact, there are approximately 14,000 brown bears fragmented across the European continent.
One of my favourite places to photograph wild European brown bears is Slovenia. With Italy, Austria and Croatia on its borders there is a wealth of habitats to explore but the majority of the bear population in Slovenia resides in the Dinaric alps south of the capital city, Ljubljana.
This mountain range offers lush forest and verdant plains for the bears to roam and feed. For anyone who has travelled to Finland to see the bears there, I urge you to travel to Slovenia also. Not only because the landscapes you find these beautiful animals in are so different to the boreal forests and wetlands of Eastern Scandinavia but because the bears are different here too. They tend to be quite a bit smaller and, in my opinion, look cuter and daintier than their cousins in Northern Europe. Their fur also tends to be lighter, although European brown bears vary in colour throughout their habitual ranges.
My preferred time to travel here is during the spring. The leaves of the trees and bushes are fresh and all shades of green and the birds (both resident and migratory species) are flourishing. Species such as white and black storks, European bee-eater, hoopoes, black redstart and numerous warblers can be found in this area.
Bear watching in Slovenia, is a relaxed experience with hide session lasting around 5-6 hours as opposed to the +14 hours of some locations. However, due to the hides being in the forest the light can be challenging so expect to have to use high ISOs. Lenses with wide apertures not only help bring in more light but also held smooth out any messy backgrounds.
The hides are small but comfortable and are made out of wood with a ventilation tube that takes your scent away and up into the canopy so as to not spook the bears. As with many other hides around the world it is imperative that you stay as quiet as possible whilst waiting for the bears to arrive. Similar to other bear watching sites around Europe the bears are encouraged to the site by food but this doesn’t mean that they will be there instantly. You may have to wait many hours for these wonderful animals to arrive and during that time it is incredibly important to stay as quiet as possible to increase your chances of a sighting.
Another reason why I prefer to travel here to see bears in the spring is because this is a great time to see some bear cubs. Bears hibernate during the winter months and female bears will also give birth to their cubs within their chosen den/ hibernation site before emerging in the spring to feed. By the time they immerge the cubs are usually a few months old and have built up enough strength on their mother milk to follow them. Meaning that if you decide to travel in the spring you will also have the chance to see these balls of mischievous brown fur feeding alongside their mother.
Of course, if you do decide to go later in the year (late summer or early autumn) you could still see bears with young (just a little bit bigger) with a background of orange and yellow leaves which can lead to some incredible photographic opportunities. The bears will then return to their dens to hibernate around November or December depending on the weather and food resources so the season to see them is between May and October.
So, if you haven’t thought of Slovenia as a destination for wildlife viewing or bear watching, I advise you to add it to your travel lists and explore this wonderful country and its stunning natural history.
To see more of Ben’s work, visit his website: www.bensutcliffephoto.com – and keep up to date with Ben over on Instagram