Saw a bear – report it: residents of Latvia urged to share sightings 0 14

Everyone who notices signs of a bear in nature — paw prints, fur, feces, scratches on trees, damage to beehives or other objects — is asked to report it. It is also important to inform about cases when a bear has been photographed or captured on video, including by surveillance cameras.

If bear paw prints are found, specialists recommend photographing them from above. Since there is a direct correlation between the age of the bear, the size of its front paw, and its weight, it is especially important to capture the front paw print and measure it at its widest part.

If a tape measure or ruler is not available, an object of known size — such as a bank card or a matchbox — can be placed next to the print so that the size of the track can be determined later.

The number of bears in Latvia is increasing

According to the latest monitoring data, there are at least 190 brown bears living in the country. Population estimates are based on both systematic observations in protected natural areas and beyond, as well as genetic studies. From samples of fur, feces, and saliva, specialists can identify specific animals.

Last year, 827 reports of random bear sightings or signs of their presence were collected. These included both cases of direct encounters with animals or their capture by camera traps, as well as the discovery of tracks, fur, and winter dens.

The likelihood of encountering a bear remains low

Despite the increase in the bear population and their spread into new regions of the country, the likelihood of encountering a bear face to face in the forest is still low.

The bear is an extremely cautious animal that usually avoids contact with humans in advance. This is confirmed by nature researchers themselves: even during years of monitoring in areas where bears are permanently present, seeing the animal with one’s own eyes happens extremely rarely.