Bears, attracted by landfills and gardens, get used to people and settle on the border of the forest

Bears, attracted by landfills, gradually lose their fear of people and settle on the border of forests and populated areas.

Bears are attracted not only to landfills, but also to abandoned gardens in areas that are not visited by people.

This year there is a good harvest of plums and apples, which also attracts bears.

VLADIVOSTOK, September 29 – RIA Novosti. Bears attracted by landfills do not immediately come out to people: the animals learn, gradually lose fear and eventually settle on the border of the forest and the populated area, zoologist Ekaterina Blidchenko, an employee of the science department of the Land of the Leopard National Park, told reporters.

“Landfills are everywhere... And, of course, a large predator does not immediately come to a person’s yard. This, most likely, happens gradually. After the predator eats (at a landfill - ed.), courage grows, that is, the animals learn, they understand that it is not so scary near populated areas. First they come in the dark, then they gradually change their daily activity - they already understand that even daytime is possible,” said Blidchenko.

According to her, in addition to landfills, bears are attracted to abandoned gardens in areas that are not visited by people, on the outskirts. This year there is a good harvest of plums and apples, the zoologist noted.

“Thus, the animal gradually settles in the anthropogenic landscape and begins to live on the border of human habitation and wild forest,” the biologist emphasized.