Bears are making an appearance in Lithuania, again. Over the past few years, they have been increasingly registered on hunting and border guard cameras, with the news of their comeback being shared widely among members of the public. But what’s the reason for their return?
According to unofficial data from the Lithuanian Hunters and Anglers Association (LMŽD), bears in Lithuania have been recorded 17 times this year – either filmed, tracked via footprints, or through the discovery of droppings. Last year, there were 19 such reports.
Linas Balčiauskas, head of the Mammal Ecology Laboratory at the Nature Research Centre, attributes the relatively frequent sightings partly to the emergence of a resident bear population in the country.
“Bears have finally returned to Lithuania. No one can say exactly how many there are now, but the estimate ranges from five to ten. At this point, we can say there is a permanent population,” the scientist told BNS.
“Another reason is increased surveillance by border guards due to migration-related issues. Monitoring equipment is capturing things that might have otherwise gone unnoticed,” he added.
Balčiauskas believes bears have been living in Lithuania permanently for about a decade. Before that, for around 20 years, they would appear sporadically and then leave. He said bear migration is currently more likely from Latvia than from Belarus.
“There’s a greater chance that these are Latvian bears. From Belarus, they can hardly get through the fenced border. But in Latvia, the population has grown to between 50 and 80. They roam widely, come into our territory, find a place to settle and stay,” the ecologist explained.
According to him, Lithuania provides suitable living conditions for bears.
“Some forest areas are a bit too disturbed, but there are still large forest tracts, plenty of places to hibernate, and a good food base. Historically, bears were eradicated here, but now they are slowly returning,” said Balčiauskas.
“There will never be hundreds of them in Lithuania because the ecological conditions simply don’t support that. Latvia is much better suited, with greater forest coverage,” he added.
The brown bear is listed in Lithuania’s Red Data Book and included in the national list of protected species of animals, plants, and fungi.
According to the book, the bear population in Lithuania began to decline after they were hunted as predators that harmed livestock. Many were also exterminated due to widespread deforestation in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The last bear in Lithuania was reportedly shot in 1883 in the village of Musteika, Varėna District near the Belarusian border, according to data provided by naturalist Tadas Ivanauskas.
Better cameras, more sightings
Biologist Petras Adeikis, head of the non-governmental Centre for Ecosystem Protection, which studies large predators, outlined three possible reasons for the recent increase in bear sightings near the Belarusian border.
“There are more opportunities to observe them: hunters have installed animal surveillance cameras – practically every feeding station has one. Border areas also now have cameras,” Adeikis noted.
Another reason, he said, is the barrier along the border that disrupts bear migration routes.
“Unlike wolves or lynxes, bears don’t have fixed territories. They migrate over long distances – hundreds of kilometres. In the past, we’d see a bear pass through Lithuania and continue on its way. Now it simply can’t get through – there’s a fence,” Adeikis said.
Are bears dangerous?
In a written comment to BNS, the Environment Ministry said there was no evidence that bears pose a threat to biodiversity or public safety.
The ministry noted that the return of large predators to ecosystems and their impact on biodiversity is positive and supported by science, as large predators help balance the food chain.
As the number of animals increases, due to the lack of large predators, “young saplings are constantly eaten, preventing natural forest regeneration,” the ministry said.
“As a result, foresters must replant logged areas artificially, and such forests are less resistant to disease, drought, and storms,” the ministry added.
Additionally, habitats with large predators typically have significantly fewer medium-sized carnivores, such as raccoon dogs, foxes, and mink.
“As the numbers of these medium predators decline – species that are a primary threat to ground-nesting forest birds – local populations of capercaillie and black grouse begin to recover. Therefore, the return of large predators is, overall, a welcome development in nature,” the ministry said.
People should maintain distance if they see a bear, avoid approaching it, and refrain from making sudden movements, the ministry added.
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