The brown bear is the largest predator in our forests. They live alone and use much of their time finding something to eat. Bears it meat, plants, and insects, and need plenty of food to make it through the winter when they hibernate.
In Norway there are brown bears living along the border to Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Countries which have larger populations of bears.
Fulufjellet National Park is an important habitat for brown bears. The national park is connected to an area with a very high bear density on the Swedish side. It is therefore not unlikely to see bears in Fulufjellet. It is estimated that 10 – 20 bears are denning on the Norwegian and Swedish sides of Fulufjellet. Although the bears can be difficult to spot, you can look for droppings, tracks and dens.
Bear encounters
Humans rarely encounter bears. Their great sense of smell means they usually discover us and run away long before we get close to them. When bears are seen, they have for various reasons not smelled or heard the humans.
Staying safe
1. Make human sounds
If you want to avoid encountering bears, make noises so that it will hear you from a distance. You can sing a song or talk to each other.
2. Make yourself known
Should you encounter a bear, this will probably come as a surprise to the animal. Make human sounds so that it becomes aware of you.
3. Keep your distance and back off
Give to bear room to run away. Keep your distance and show that you are not dangerous. Talk to the bear and back off.
4. Do not leave food or trash in nature
This will help us avoid attracting bears unnecessarily.
