On May 3, 2015 a brown bear named Iwo, originally from Poland crossed into Aggtelek National Park yesterday via Slovakia and was last seen in the vicinity of Rudabánya.
The Aggtelek National Park Directorate hereby informs everyone that, according to the notification received from Slovak colleagues on Sunday, a brown bear (Ursus arctos) wearing a radio telemetry collar entered Hungary near Szuhafő. According to the latest information, the bear is somewhere between Rudabánya and Ormosbánya heading north in the direction of Felsőtelekes.
Brown bears are not known to be aggressive; however one should keep in mind these rules if by chance you come into contact with one:
Bear Etiquette:
· If you encounter a bear, back away slowly along the road where you came from and circle away as widely as possible;
· Do this quietly and the bear may not even notice your presence;
· As long as the bear does not notice you, do not make noise;
· Do not block the bear’s escape route, leave a space for it;
· If the bear has not detected you, do not yell, make noise or flail because it will view it as an attack;
· Be especially cautious if you encounter a bear at close range;
· Do not approach the bear, even if it is seemingly peaceful;
· Do not turn your back to the animal;
· If the bear notices you, then slowly lift your hands over your head and quietly talk, sing, or whistle so the bear identifies you as a human; and
· If the bear notices you but ignores you, slowly back away out of its range of vision.
This bear is a male specimen and is likely roaming looking for a mate and will then return to its own territory later.
The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a strictly protected species in Hungary and killing one carries a 250000 HUF penalty. It is strictly prohibited to disturb, damage, torture or kill a member of the species.
Data about the bear coming into the Aggtelek National Park Directorate can be viewed on our webpage or via our Facebook Page.
The European brown bear was formerly a widespread species, but today the few that are left are mostly found in the higher mountains. A significant number still remain in the Transylvanian Carpathians, but a stable population exists in the Low and High Tátra Mountains (SK), Fátra Mountains (SK), the Slovenský raj National Park and adjacent areas of the Slovak Karst which form a single geographical unit with the Aggtelek Hills.
