Reintroducing hunting of brown bears would be necessary, as the species is overpopulated in Romania.Continue reading
Last weekend, fresh bear and bear cub tracks were found near Nemti in Nógrád county (northern Hungary), Hirado.hu reports.
The social media page of a popular hiking site, reporting on the tracks, has warned hikers to exercise extreme caution as the female, who is protecting her cubs, can be particularly dangerous. Visitors to the site are asked to be careful and to take appropriate safety measures if they encounter the animal.
It is highly likely that the mother is also in the vicinity of the cubs. Most human-wildlife conflicts are related to mother bears. The Bükk National Park Directorate has also previously published a summary of how to behave when encountering bears.
The experts recommend not to deviate from the designated hiking trails if you see a bear and to avoid any contact with the animal. Move away slowly and carefully and avoid eye contact with the predator.
Earlier, Attila Bartha, the nature conservation area supervisor of the Bükk National Park (in northern Hungary), warned that “you should never want to come into contact with a bear, because it is a wild animal. There are no exceptions among bears, if possible, if you see a bear, you should move away and avoid eye contact, because it is a sign of aggression.”
Bear tracks on a hiking trail in northern Hungary back in April. Photo: Facebook/Magyar Országos Medve Figyelő
The last report of a bear sighting in Hungary was in May. Then, Heol.hu reported that a bear was roaming in the Bükk Mountains, recorded by wildlife cameras in the forest. According to Péter Gombkötő, zoological specialist of the Bükk National Park Directorate, the presence of brown bears has been detected since 2008 in the three operational areas of the national park.
As he said, bears usually avoid humans. With proper behavior and preparedness, problems can be avoided. It is also important not to lure bears to you in any way. In places where large predators may be present, it is advisable to keep garbage locked up in a container so that it is not seen as a food source. In the wild, they are as afraid of humans as humans can be of bears. Only in a “tight” situation, or to protect their cubs, can bears show aggressive behavior.
Via Hirado.hu, Heol.hu; Featured image: Pixabay