Videos being published on social media show, however, that the bear encounters are not happening exclusively in the Bieszczady Mountains as tourists across various Polish mountainous areas also happened to spot those animals near people-dense areas.
Authorities in the Zagórz municipality, south-eastern Poland, have recorded over 70 incidents involving wild animals, including bears, this year alone. The local government has obtained permission from the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Rzeszów to capture and relocate bears to other areas.
In the neighboring Sanok municipality, officials are urging residents to exercise caution. They, too, have received authorization from the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection to deter bears. Residents were advised against leaving food and edible waste outside.
Spokesperson for the Regional Directorate of State Forests (RDLP) in Krosno, southeastern Poland, emphasized that
bears are on the lookout for food following their hibernation throughout winter. He noted that they may also be more irritable during this time, warning that the animals are increasingly spotted in human-populated areas, partly due to compost bins and food scraps left in garbage cans. This “familiarity” with human presence diminishes their natural fear, leading to a phenomenon known as synanthropization.
According to the spokesperson,
encounters between bears and humans are becoming more common, contrasting with the past when sightings were rare.
He also clarified that bears typically do not attack humans but may defend their territory if startled. Therefore,
when hiking in bear-inhabited areas, making noise, such as talking or whistling, is advisable to avoid surprising them
