It seems that bears have been returning not only to Lithuania lately. In mid-June, after more than a hundred years, near the border with Lithuania, in Poland A bear visited. This prompted discussions among Polish experts about whether the migration routes of bears are changing.
In mid-June, a brown bear was recorded in the Knišin Forest, located in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. This is the first time this predator has visited the region in more than a century. The bear was caught on a camera trap set by foresters from the Knišin Forestry Department. It is believed to be a young male, about four years old, about two meters long. According to experts, the animal could have wandered in from Lithuania or Belarus, using forest corridors through the Augustów Forest or the Bebro National Park.
Brown bears disappeared from the lower regions of Poland in the 19th century, mainly due to intensive hunting and habitat loss. The last evidence of their presence in the Podlaskie region dates back to the end of the 19th century, and attempts to return them in the 20th century were unsuccessful. Therefore, this event is exceptional and shows that natural migration processes are still taking place, and forests such as the Knyszyn Forest can play an important role as ecological corridors. However, experts point out that this is only the wandering of a single male, and due to habitat fragmentation or limited availability of females, long-term settlement here is unlikely for now.
Foresters and the Regional Environmental Protection Directorate are urging local residents and visitors to remain vigilant and report any possible bear sightings. Although the chance of encountering this animal is very low, if you encounter one, it is recommended to stay away, not speak loudly, avoid sudden movements and calmly retreat. Authorities are continuing surveillance, installing additional cameras and documenting tracks.
So, not only Lithuanians, but also Poles are faced with wandering bears. It is likely that they come to us from Belarus. Another option is that fences installed on the border with Belarus prevent bears from reaching their final destination and they begin to wander in areas where they were not previously.
