The unique case is that the bear brought the chick in Lithuania: how dangerous it is to the population?

– Emotions are dual – it is gratifying that the bear has brought a teddy bear, but as if it is scary to go into the forest now.

– In fact, nothing should be scared, it should be better to be happy. It is a truly unique case and a joyful day for Lithuanian nature, because our ecosystem has emerged a species that breeds and leads chicks.

– In which part of Lithuania is it captured?

– In Kupiškis district, in the eastern part of Lithuania, in Mirabel forest. Laimonas Kiaulėnas, a fellow naturalist, hunter, forester, recorded. It happened a week ago, about noon, a little afternoon.

In general, bears were constantly found in the past, but it was 100 or 150 years ago to breed and live naturally. So this is a return species, certainly not new. Perhaps only Lithuania was the area where we did not detect them for a decade, because in neighboring Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, even Poland they are counting on hundreds, even thousands, and up to 100 bears a year in Estonia.

Photo by Map Map

– But couldn’t it really be that a bear with a chick just out of somewhere? Is it really brought here?

– (…) However, you will not be deceived when captured is a fact. If we look at the Map of Bears created last year www.meskos.lt or www.meskzemelapis.lt And we would analyze – last year about 20 bears’ visits or consequences of their activities were recorded. Mostly visited during mating, in the second half of summer, and in the spring it was very rarely recorded.

– The map can be seen where they usually visit. They settle in those places or just visit?

– Apparently, they come to our country through the state border from neighboring countries. And, as we can see on the map, this is the eastern area – Kupiškis, Rokiškis, Biržai, so all forests, Green Labanoras Forest, Punia Shill. This is because in a larger forest, bears are bolder, they avoid people’s neighborhoods and are a resident of gun, dense forests. But a year ago, we had a hypothesis when exactly not detected, but leading, and not needed for years, we already have this fact. We are now raising another hypothesis – when to move to central, northern, western Lithuania and will be found throughout the country.

– Is it dangerous to meet a bear face to face?

– Facilities with wildlife are always risky, but there is probably not 0.1 or 0.01 percent of the likelihood of meeting it. However, nature is so created that moms defend their chicks, so if you notice any drastic decisions, you just have to leave the area. Especially if you are too close. Although there are very rare cases in the world where (this) disrupts human health.

Video stop shot.

– We just saw the video along the concert the bears passing. Are these the appearance of the fence, in some way, changed the trends where the bears appear, or did they not decrease them? Maybe they can’t leave our territory?

– No doubt physical barriers limit the natural movement of both bears and other animal species. But there are certain unfulfilled sections, wetlands, it still migrates. We can assume that if there were no physical barriers – fences, concerts, then bears would be not like last year, 20 cases, perhaps 30 and 40, and more.

– How much is the bears in Lithuania? Is it possible to name the number?

– We assume that up to 8-10 bears are found.

– Bears in Lithuania have been noticeable for some time. Why did the chick only have now?

– Well, the bear matures only in 3-5 years of life, and the chick is also not soaked for several years, it is not that simple. However, the male should be nearby. If we look at the case of Kupiškis, near the Mirabel Forest, where the chick was discovered, both a male and female were recorded last year. This is likely to have been talked about with one scientist studying large carnivores that it could be a descendant of Šimonys Forest. However, it is strange to me why near Kupiškis, namely in Mirabelis forest, because this forest is not large, near Kupiškis city – only 5 km. Well, but apparently migrates a little minimal. Naturally, when the chick is brought, session occurs, but if necessary, they will certainly move into more frustrated, denser forests, where it will be safer and more easily detected.

Full LNK Report – In Video:

– Now, you say, we are forcing a new page of the Red Book and can it officially say that bears are animals living in Lithuania?

– Not only are it found, but I would say so, the species that breeds.

– I think there are not many curious people who go to look for a teddy bear, but still, maybe you need to warn you not going to approach if you notice?

– It should not only be warned, but also to ask the public so that the curious, however, should not go to that forest, to arrange the whole crew that captures the image, and should not be disturbed. Allow that chick to be in our nature. Perhaps next week we will announce a contest to give it a name so that this is where the teddy bear was born and lives.