Institutions take coordinated action due to the incident in the "Vitosha" Nature Park.
At the initiative of the Director of the Directorate of Internal Affairs, an interdepartmental meeting was held with the participation of representatives of the Sofia Police, the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the "Vitosha" Nature Park and the Sofia Municipality.
The institutions were acquainted with the facts surrounding the incident and identified measures to protect tourists. The Director of the Directorate of Internal Affairs, Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, ordered the area to be secured and protected through a constant police presence.
The facts show the following:
On May 16, a signal was received on tel. 112 about the discovery of a man's body in the area of the "Vitosha" park. Police teams were immediately sent to the scene and found the death of a 35-year-old man. An inspection was carried out in the presence of a forensic doctor and a big game expert.
According to initial data from the inspection, the death occurred as a result of an attack by a wild animal, presumably a bear.
The participants in the meeting agreed on the need to conduct research activities in the area of the incident. For this purpose, a patrol by persons with the necessary knowledge will be carried out, camera traps will be placed and a drone will fly over the perimeter.
According to expert data, a population of about 18-20 brown bears can be found in the areas of Vitosha, Plana and Verila. Other wild animals also inhabit the area, including roe deer, deer, wild boars and wolves.
In this regard, the institutions remind citizens to follow the basic safety rules when staying in the mountains:
∙ to move in groups if possible;
∙ to make noise while moving;
∙ not to leave food waste;
∙ to avoid deviating from marked routes;
∙ when encountering a wild animal, not to make sudden movements or run away.
The brown bear naturally avoids contact with humans. The risk of aggressive behavior is possible in the event of a sudden encounter, in the presence of cubs, or when the animal feels threatened.
When encountering a bear, it is advisable to remain calm, speak in an even tone, and slowly move away, without sudden movements.
Until the completion of the checks and clarification of all circumstances, the institutions recommend that citizens avoid the area of the incident.
Source: news.bg