Bear That Wandered into Jēkabpils Safely Guided Back to Forest

A bear that strayed into the Latvian city of Jēkabpils was safely escorted back into a forest area on Tuesday evening. Officials managed to guide the animal into a wooded area after dark by closing off streets and creating a corridor for its safe passage. Drones equipped with infrared cameras were deployed to track the bear, but it was not detected, leading authorities to believe it has disappeared into the Birži forest.

The head of the Jēkabpils municipal government, Raivis Ragainis, noted that public curiosity complicated the operation. He explained that despite potential risks, many residents were eager to follow, film, or photograph the bear, which appeared disoriented. Ragainis mentioned that efforts were made to limit information flow to avoid attracting even more attention to the situation.

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Nature is nature. We have forests around us, and the Sēlija training ground is also located here.

Fortunately, the bear caused no damage to property, and no individuals were injured during its brief presence in the city. This is not the first time wild animals have been reported near populated areas in the region. Recently, a moose wandered into Jēkabpils and was also guided out of the city. Ragainis commented on these occurrences, stating, "Nature is nature. We have forests around us, and the Sēlija training ground is also located here."

Authorities were alerted to the bear's presence on Sunday evening. Municipal and state police controlled the situation, attempting to use loudspeakers to encourage the bear to leave the city. The incident highlights the proximity of wildlife to urban areas in Latvia.

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Some criticize that there was a lack of information, but this was done to avoid attracting even greater attention.