The second video collar put on the neck of a bear at Băile Tușnad will transmit new information
The bear will provide important information about its feeding and movement habits, but also about those who break the rules by trying to feed or approach it.
As part of the Human-Bear Coexistence Pilot Project at Băile Tușnad, initiated by WWF-Romania (World Wide Fund for Nature) and implemented in collaboration with the local authorities of the smallest city in the country, the last day of April was full of action . The intervention team managed to capture and introduce into the monitoring program a bear that the locals or tourists arriving near the road to Lake Sfânta Ana already know. The bear often appears in the area, and its behavior reflects a history of habituation. Thus, the bear seems accustomed to the presence of humans, which it associates with an easy source of food.
The introduction of this specimen into the monitoring program initiated within the Băile Tușnad Pilot Project “Safety for people – protection for bears” has an extremely important role. On the one hand, the monitoring will provide data on the route and habits of the bear, completing the set of data that experts have already collected in the area, and on the other hand, the specialists assure us that the bear will contribute fully to educating and disciplining tourists, as the video camera around his neck will continuously film, discouraging those tempted to break the law when trying to feed or approach the bear.
“Capturing this bear and introducing it into the monitoring program within the Human-Bear Coexistence Pilot Project at Băile Tușnad has an extremely important role, as long as it can provide us with extremely valuable answers to the questions related to the causes of bear habituation and all he can be an important lever in correcting the behavior of people who end up around him, the images captured by the camera he wears around his neck can be used by the authorities as evidence for the application of sanctions arising from the violation of the regulations in force. In fulfilling the objective we set for ourselves – that of transforming Băile Tușnad into the first bear-smart city in Romania, this action is another step, along with the other recent achievement – the purchase of anti-bear bins manufactured and tested in Slovakia,“ stated Cristian-Remus Papp, Wildlife Species Department Coordinator, WWF-Romania (World Wide Fund for Nature).
The 16 bear-proof bins purchased within the same pilot project arrived at Băile Tușnad last week. There are five models of such containers, manufactured and tested in Slovakia, a country with experience in good management and prevention of human-bear conflicts. The 16 anti-bear bins are to be installed in the city in the coming days, along with instructions for use explained simply and clearly, so that, properly used, these bins will keep bears away from the town.
Proposed in its current form and implemented by WWF-Romania (World Wide Fund for Nature) in partnership with local authorities, the Băile Tușnad Pilot Project “Safety for people – protection for bears” was started on November 1, 2022 and is proving to be a successful at the challenges that citizens of localities in areas with high brown bear densities may encounter, already being a study model in other projects looking for solutions for peaceful human-bear coexistence.
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