After the sensational appearance of the bear in Jekabpils, reports of the predator began to come in from the Aizkraukle region. Residents are urged not to chase the animal and to immediately report its appearance to the responsible services.
The bear, which attracted the attention of the residents of Jekabpils on Sunday (as reported by bb.lv), is likely continuing to move through the region.
According to the Aizkraukle municipality, in recent days, municipal and state services have received several reports of the bear's appearance in the vicinity of Koknese.
According to the latest information, the animal has also been seen in the Staburags area.
In this regard, residents are urged to exercise caution and not attempt to interact with the animal on their own.
If the bear is spotted nearby, specialists recommend remaining calm, keeping a safe distance, and reporting its location to the police or other responsible services. It is especially emphasized that one should not chase the animal, approach it for photographs or video recording, or attempt to direct its movement in any way. Such behavior, according to specialists, creates the greatest risks.
What is important to know: bears very rarely enter populated areas with aggressive intentions. Most often, they find themselves near people during migration or searching for food and seek to leave such places as quickly as possible.
The Nature Conservation Agency reminds that the mere presence of a bear in a city or village is not considered an emergency. According to agency representative Ilze Reinik, specific measures, including shooting, can only be applied in cases where there is an immediate threat to human life or health. However, the decision on such actions is made exclusively by the Nature Conservation Agency.
The situation in Jekabpils has become a telling example of how human curiosity can complicate the work of specialists. As noted by the director of the Nature Conservation Department, Gita Stroda, many residents did not report the bear to the responsible services, but instead chased it in cars, filmed videos, and ran after it. According to her, such actions create additional stress for the animal and increase the likelihood of dangerous behavior.
Specialists remind that one should not attempt to drive the bear out of the populated area using car signals, shouting, or other means. The less disturbance the animal experiences, the higher the likelihood that it will return to the forest on its own.
Experts also warn that such cases may occur more frequently. The bear population in Latvia is gradually increasing, and with this, the likelihood of their appearance near populated areas is also rising.
One of the reasons for such visits is often the available food sources — food waste, pet food, and other products left by people. Therefore, specialists advise not to create easy feeding opportunities for wild animals near homes and summer cottages.
So far, there have been no reports of injured people or damage caused. State and municipal police continue to monitor the situation.
