In Türkiye’s Kastamonu, residents are troubled by frequent bear sightings that have resulted in significant damage to beehives and orchards. Bears, awakened from hibernation, are descending into the district with their cubs in search of food, particularly in the Cünürye District. Citizens have resorted to installing wire fences to protect their property and express fear for their safety.
Kastamonu hosts Türkiye’s largest brown bear population, with nearly 1,500 bears according to the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks. This has led to increased bear-human conflicts, with thousands of beehives destroyed in recent years and two people injured in bear attacks last year. The bears primarily inhabit forested areas, including the Ağlı, Küre, İnebolu, Doğanyurt, Cide, Şenpazar, Azdavay, and Pınarbaşı districts within the Küre Mountains National Park.
Vedat Yunus İkizoğlu – Muhammed Kömeçoğlu