Following the successful deterrence of two bears exhibiting atypical behaviour in the Vijciems parish of the Valka region, both bears have moved to the Smiltene region, where they continue to visit buildings and farmyards in search of food. Consequently, the Nature Conservation Agency has consulted with various specialists and developed an action plan for the next stage of managing the situation – separating and relocating the animals.

At present, there are no further reports of damage caused by the group of three bears, which most likely consisted of a female with two cubs that she was teaching how to forage and find food. This suggests that the group has moved away from homesteads and is behaving as is typical for the species.

Meanwhile, the second group, consisting of two young bears that experts believe were likely raised by humans and subsequently released into the wild, has moved to the village of Loberģi in the Bilska parish of the Smiltene region. Both bears have repeatedly visited one homestead, where they destroyed an apiary, and broke into a small granary at another, tearing open bags of grain.