In the village of Silmalas in the Rezekne region, dogs were most likely torn apart by wolves, not bears, as accused by local residents — such were the results of the examination.
According to the Nature Conservation Agency (NCA), residents of the village of Sprinda reported predator attacks several weeks ago, where dogs were killed in the yards of private homes.
Immediately after receiving information about the attack, state inspectors from the NCA went to the site, collected DNA samples, and sent them to the State Forest Research Institute "Silava" for analysis. In its conclusion, the institute stated that the attack on the dogs was not carried out by a bear.
Experts estimate that the nature of the injuries corresponds to a wolf attack, and there is no data in the scientific literature about cases of bears attacking dogs, except in cases of self-defense.
In their conclusion, experts from the "Silava" institute noted that the mentioned facts and their professional experience do not confirm the existence of a direct threat to the life and health of people. The approach of bears to populated areas is usually random unless their behavior has been altered by some stimuli from humans, such as easy access to food.
The NCA explains that by "easy food" in this case, it refers to discarded vegetables and fruits in the forests, as well as beehives that are not equipped with deterrents.
If residents encounter raids or damage caused by wolves, the NCA advises contacting the State Forest Service or the local hunting collective, as the wolf is a species that is limitedly permitted for culling in Latvia. The NCA also advises not to leave domestic and agricultural animals outdoors overnight.
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