Three bear families roam near homes in eastern Finland as attacks and failed deterrence efforts raise concerns

At least three female bears with cubs have repeatedly approached houses in the Riihiranna village of Leppävirta, eastern Finland, with one bear charging a resident in its own yard, Finnish broadcaster Yle reports. Local hunters and wildlife officials have failed to drive the animals away, leaving residents fearing for children, pets, and livestock.

Asko Hiltunen, a local hunter, described an encounter on his property where a bear sow with two cubs lunged toward him after catching his scent. “The bear was just 20 meters away—I’ve never experienced anything like it,” Hiltunen told Yle, adding that he fled toward his house before the bear retreated with its cubs. Such close encounters have become routine; Hiltunen reported spotting bears five times in as many days.

Wildlife monitors from the Leppävirta-Varkaus game management association confirm three sows and seven cubs have been active within a 2-kilometer radius of homes over the past three weeks, feeding in fields mere meters from houses. Attempts to haze the bears—including armed patrols—have failed, with the animals returning shortly after each effort. “They’re not afraid of people anymore,” said association representative Jouko Holopainen. “Even if the cubs look cute, a predator is always a predator.”

Residents like organic dairy farmer Riku Kauhanen worry for his 100-head herd, which grazes in the same forests where bears now roam. “We’ve pastured here for 20 years, but the bear pressure has grown unbearable,” he said, noting that current hunting regulations—restricted to reindeer-herding areas—leave rural communities vulnerable. Others report escorting children to school by car and keeping dogs indoors to avoid provoking defensive attacks.

The surge in human-bear conflicts mirrors broader trends across Finland this spring, with multiple regions reporting bears near homes. In central Finland’s Äänekoski and northern Savonia’s Sonkajärvi, authorities were forced to euthanize bears after deterrence failed. Local game officials attribute the rise to a doubling of the bear population in recent years, coupled with bears growing accustomed to human proximity and easy food sources like crops.

“These animals are urbanizing,” said Juha Holopainen, chair of the Leppävirta-Varkaus game association. “We hope hazing works, but the forests around here should be enough—if they’d just stay away.”