RIGA, Sept 29 (LETA) - Five brown bears have recently been spotted roaming the neighborhood of Vijciems in the northern Latvian municipality of Valka, experts from the Latvian Nature Conservation Agency informed, warning that the animals may pose danger to people. 

The agency's representative Elina Ezerina told LETA that, responding to reports of the destruction wrought by the animals on several properties in Vijciems, experts inspected the neighborhood on September 28 to preemptively decide on possible solutions to the situation. 

The Nature Conservation Agency's experts together with a representative of the Valka Hunting Coordination Commission inspected four homesteads and a cone drying facility in Vijciems. The damage caused by animals there suggested that the properties had been visited by two groups of bears. 

One group consists of two young bears which apparently have lost their mother before learning how to find food in the wild and are therefore scavenging for leftovers in populated areas. The other group includes three bears, probably a female with two young, which have been stealing honey from bee-hives. 

Around the cone drying facility, the bears have caused damage to orchards, bee-gardens and homesteads. Some of the animals have even tried to invade buildings, an indication that they can pose danger not only to property but also people.

Possible solutions to the situation have been discussed with the Valka Hunting Coordination Commission whose representatives have said that hunters might scare the bears away, using fireworks munition that creates loud noises and flashes of light. 

The Nature Conservation Agency has also called on local residents to report sightings of bears in the area and damage they cause to properties to the email pasts@daba.gov.lv.

In Latvia, brown bears (Ursus arctos) are a protected animal species, and although their numbers have been on the rise in recent years, bear hunting is prohibited in Latvia.