A trapped six-month-old bear cub, believed to have lost its orientation, was freed over the weekend from a hotel courtyard in Kastoria, northern Greece, and safely released back into the wild thanks to the joint efforts of the Kastoria Forest Service and the environmental organization Callisto.
Residents notified the teams who rushed to the scene for immediate intervention.
A few hours earlier, passing citizens had seen the bear cub with its mother in the forest. So it was decided that the little bear should be freed and pushed back to the mountain to be reunited with its mother, who was in the area.
During this period, mother bears with their cubs are likely to appear near areas with human activity, as they are looking for food in fruit trees.
However, people should be aware that mother bears are overprotective of their cubs. Therefore, in case a citizen comes across a lone bear cub, they should not approach it, as it is very likely that the mother is nearby and feels threatened by the human presence, Callisto says.
Adorable bear cub found in Greece
Last month, a three-month-old bear cub was saved by a local couple near Kozani in northern Greece after she was separated from her mother.
The little bear found refuge in the garden of Pavlos and Martha, who gave her temporary shelter, before they notified Kozani Forestry Service and “Arcturos,” a non-profit organization focusing on the protection of wildlife fauna and natural habitat.
Experts calmed down the terrified cub, giving it some food and water, and began searching for her mother in a wooded area near where she was found.
In May 2023 an orphaned bear named Thomas, who was found wandering alone in the area of Florina, northern Greece the year before, was returned to the wild after being cared for in the facilities of Arcturos.
The bear population in Greece is over 450
Greece is currently home to an estimated population of 450 brown bears. The majority of these bears live in the mountainous regions of northern Greece, including the Pindos and Rhodope Mountains.
The bear population in Greece has faced numerous challenges in recent years, including habitat loss, poaching, and conflicts with humans. However, the Greek government and several non-governmental organizations, including Arcturos, have implemented various conservation measures to protect the species and mitigate these challenges.
These include designated protected areas, such as the National Park of Pindos, and installing electric fences around beehives to reduce conflicts with local beekeepers.