Podkarpackie. Most of the bears are already hiding in their dens

– Last night, air temperatures in the mountains dropped to as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius. The Bieszczady bears sensed this. These animals have been seen less frequently for several days. Most of them are already hiding in their dens, Edward Marszałek, spokesman for the Regional Directorate of State Forests in Krosno, told PAP on Thursday.

He reminded that “after the December snowfall, fresh bear tracks were found in the forests of several Bieszczady forest districts; “We also managed to record them on many camera traps”.

– Predators are still active in the lower parts of the mountains. On Thursday, the tracks of three individuals were observed in the Stuposiany Forest District. However, they have not been seen in the Cisna area for several days – added the spokesman of the Krosno RDLP.

Soon, young bears will be born in the dens; the females will feed them with milk until spring. Only at the turn of March and April will they take their offspring out of the dens for their first walks. – Bears usually give birth to one cub, although more and more often they are observed with twins and even triplets – added Marszałek.

In his opinion, the Podkarpacie bears are in a longer hibernation “they fall only when at least half a meter of snow has fallen, and for several days thermometers will show 10 degrees of frost”.

In south-eastern Poland, mainly in the Bieszczady Mountains, the Low Beskids and the Przemyśl Foothills, there are almost 200 of these predators – 90%. Polish population.

Among the Podkarpacie bears, there is no phenomenon of synanthropization, i.e. the disappearance of instinctive fear and the tendency to stay close to people to get food more easily. Such cases occur in some Tatra bears.

Bears are omnivorous; adult individuals weigh about 300 kg and live up to 50 years. They are among the most dangerous predators in Europe.