Bear sightings in Latvia: Public divided on coexistence vs. hunting

Over the past few months, several Latvian residents have come across bears, though not face-to-face, but in various everyday settings. In June, a bear was spotted in Bliska parish and Kārķi parish, where a family saw the animal standing on its hind legs breaking into rabbit hutches in their yard. Earlier in the month, a bear wandered into the town of Jēkabpils, walking along the main streets.

These “bear posts” on social media attract significant attention and spark debate. The public is divided into two camps: some believe people should learn to coexist with bears, while others call for allowing hunting to significantly reduce the bear population. The article raises the question of how to behave when encountering a bear in the wild or urban areas.