Although all attention is currently focused on bears, other wild animals also inhabit the forest. Female wild boars are particularly aggressive in defending their young and are prepared to engage in a fight with anyone they perceive as a threat to their offspring. Even in the bird world, there are aggressive mothers, with numerous known cases of corvids attacking people who have approached a nesting tree. Furthermore, for those less prepared, many forest animals can instil fear simply by their presence, for instance, red deer, moose, foxes, and black grouse.

In recent years, an increase in bear numbers has been observed across the entire Baltic population, which means that more bears are entering Latvia, and some of them are staying here permanently. In the past, the main reason for the decline and disappearance of bears was hunting. Since hunting is not currently permitted in Latvia and is restricted in the Estonian border region, the bear population is recovering. According to the latest monitoring data, there are approximately 60 bears in the wild in Latvia.

Analysing historical data and Latvian folklore, it is evident that the bear has been a part of our nature for time immemorial. It was viewed with awe and respect. The negative traits of the wolf and the fox were not attributed to it, suggesting that historically, society has known how to coexist with the presence of this animal. Given the return of bears to Latvian forests, modern society will also have to learn how to coexist with them, perhaps by adopting the experience of Estonia, where the bear population is stable and ten times larger than in Latvia, reaching a count of 700 individuals.
Used Velga Vītola's photo from the original material