A clip circulating on social media shows bears coming down to the regional landfill and feeding on food left by people. The Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water (RIEW) – Smolyan, together with WWF, took urgent measures to protect the species and ensure the safety of people.

The location is 12 kilometers from the city in a forested area near the landfill. Camera traps were set, which captured two bears of apparent age of about a year and a half, who often come down to the road. The location is constantly monitored and preventive measures are being taken to repel wild animals from the area – signs have already been placed along the road urging people NOT to feed the animals. According to experts, when we give or leave food for bears, they lose their fear of people. In this way, we put ourselves, others, and this protected species at risk.

Meetings were also held with employees of the Regional Solid Waste Landfill as a measure to prevent conflicts between people and bears. Explanatory meetings were also held in a prison dormitory located in the area.

All these actions by the experts from the RIEW and the WWF have already yielded results – the camera trap footage shows that the bear cubs are not appearing.