Wanted: border bear botherer

The Nature Conservation Agency (DAP) is is asking for the public's help in order to find the author of a video republished many times on the "Whatsapp" website, the footage of which shows a driver chasing and harassing a young bear on a forest road while driving in the dark. 

"Beautiful, no?" the driver says.

The DAP drew attention to the fact that this is deliberate disturbance of an animal, for which an administrative penalty is applicable.

The video lasts two and a half minutes, in which it is clear that the chase takes place on a small forest road in a border zone, which is indicated by a yellow sign visible in the video.

This means that the bear has been in its natural territory, where its disturbance is strictly prohibited.

"In the opinion of experts, this is not a simple disturbance, but a violent act. The bear is not capable of running for a long time. Moreover, at this moment, when the bears are preparing for hibernation, it is important for them to accumulate energy reserves, not to consume them. Therefore, a longer pursuit of the bear could even end with serious health problems," emphasized Jānis Ozoliņš, the leading researcher of the Latvian State Forestry Institute "Silava".

If anyone has information about the author of the video and/or the driver of the car, please report it by writing to e-mail: [email protected] or by calling 67509545.

The DAP also reminded the public that the brown bear (Ursos arctos ) is a protected species both in Latvia and in Europe, and according to the current legislation, a person guilty of deliberately disturbing a specimen of a protected species can receive a fine of up to 700 euros.

According to current monitoring data, there are about 60 bears in the wild in Latvia, mainly in the Estonia-Latvia border area.