The annual bear-hunting season in Sweden began on Wednesday in the face of opposition from animal welfare activists. A total of 486 brown bears may be hunted in the seven administrative regions, the country’s environmental protection agency announced. Last year, the number was 649. The hunt continues until the decided number of bears have been killed or until the season ends on October 15. There are strict rules, as there are for hunting other predators in Sweden, with each of the regions deciding how many bears may be hunted there. The stated aim of the hunt is to regulate numbers and prevent…