Bear sightings now commonplace in Lieksa as population surges

Bears have become a near-daily sight in Lieksa and across North Karelia, with reports flooding in as the animals forage in fields and residential areas, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports.

Locals describe spotting bears as almost routine, with some residents claiming a single observer has recorded 60 sightings this spring alone. “You just need to go with someone who knows the right field where they’re eating dandelions,” said Lieksa resident Asko Toivonen. Another, Sulo Saarelainen, noted that even enthusiastic bear-watchers are growing weary: “Now he says he’s had enough of looking for bears.”

While Yle reporters searched fields and outdoor areas in late May without success, fresh reports emerged the same day of a bear moving through Lieksa’s Timitra recreation area. Earlier in the week, police confirmed a bear was struck and killed by a train near the Jamali district. Sightings have been reported across the region.

Wildlife officials warn against actively seeking out bears. Kai-Eerik Nyholm, a game management planner at Finland’s Wildlife Agency, estimates Lieksa alone hosts around 150 bears, with North Karelia’s total population exceeding 700—roughly a third of Finland’s bears. Though he acknowledges the area has historically supported high densities, he cautions that deliberately approaching bears is unwise. “I don’t go looking for them in fields, and I wouldn’t recommend it in an official capacity,” Nyholm said.

The surge extends beyond North Karelia. In North Savo, reported sightings have jumped by over 60% year-on-year, with nearly 900 recorded this spring. The region’s game chief, Matti Kervinen, attributes the rise to a growing population—now estimated at 250–300 bears, up from around 200 in previous assessments. The increase follows a multi-year hunting hiatus; the last cull outside reindeer-herding zones occurred in autumn 2023.

Officials stress that human-provided food lures bears into yards and settlements, where they raid compost bins, beehives, and feed bales. “This is a persistent problem,” Nyholm said. “People want to see bears and attract them, but that’s unfortunate.” Damage reports include torn feed bales in Kitee and repeated property incursions, particularly east of Highway 5 from Kuopio’s Riistavesi to Varpaisjärvi.