Image: VOLKER Weihbold
On May 10, a police patrol observed the predator at the recycling center in Grödig, and last Monday passers-by saw it near the Latschenwirt in Großgmain, the state’s bear and wolf commissioner, Hubert Stock, confirmed current media reports on Wednesday.
The two sightings in the late evening were only reported to the state of Salzburg on Tuesday. “It may be that the bear is now in Bavaria,” said Stock. It is probably the animal that was recently photographed by a wildlife camera in Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria. In his opinion, however, it is not the bear that was out and about in Glemmtal in Pinzgau at the beginning of May. “That’s rather unlikely. I assume that they are two different bears.”
“We hope he moves on”
Stock has informed the Salzburg state hunting champion Max Mayr-Melnhof about the latest bear sightings in his territory. No traces or droppings of the animal have been found so far. “That would also be a stroke of luck,” said Stock. “Most bears are migrating and only stay with us for a short time. We hope that the bear will move on.”
Officials from the Wals Police Inspectorate are said to have briefly seen the animal at 11 p.m. when driving past the fenced-off recycling center in Grödig at the edge of the forest. “It ran straight back into the forest towards Untersberg,” Stock described the witness statements. In the night from last Sunday to Monday, the bear is said to have stayed in the vicinity of the Latschenwirt in Großgmain and Wolfschwang, also at the foot of the Untersberg. There are also much used hiking trails.
Expert urges caution
Even if it can be assumed that the stray bear has already run away again, Stock warned of caution. Incidents cannot be ruled out. If you meet a bear, you should primarily behave calmly and withdraw slowly, “in any case, don’t throw objects at him”.
If the animal is following you, you could place a jacket or backpack on the ground to distract it and then slowly walk away. Otherwise there is still the possibility to lie down on your stomach and hold your hands over your neck. However, this requires good nerves.
Up to 50 kilometers per day
The most recent photo of a bear in the border area of Salzburg and Bavaria was taken in Schneizlreuth in Berchtesgadener Land. According to a report by the “Salzburger Nachrichten”, another photo comes from the wildlife camera at the Wetterkreuz in Unken. According to the Bavarian media, there was lightning on Monday, May 8th. A connection with the sighting in Grödig would also be understandable. Migratory bears can cover daily distances of up to 50 kilometers.
Hikers spotted bears
In Pinzgau, a hunter discovered bear tracks in the snow in Glemmtal at the beginning of May. A week later, two hikers spotted a bear near Fusch im Pinzgau at around 1,700 meters above sea level. The two were able to observe the animal well from a distance of 80 to 100 meters and, according to information from the state of Salzburg, reported their observation to the police. However, there is no evidence such as photos or traces.
Video: In Carinthia, too, a bear has ventured into inhabited areas. In the district of Hermagor in Mellweg, south of Lake Presseggersee, a brown bear has left its mark in a beehive. Recently, videos of bear sightings have also been increasingly shared on the Internet on social networks.
Source: Nachrichten
