An amateur photographer from Lithuania received the shock of a lifetime when his remote trail camera captured footage of a brown bear in an area where the species was previously considered extinct. Marek Kislovskij discovered the remarkable footage while checking his camera in the Salcinikai district forest, located near the Belarus border, marking what experts are calling a historic moment for Lithuanian wildlife conservation.
Kislovskij, a hobbyist photographer who purchased the trail camera to better understand forest wildlife, initially couldn't believe what he was seeing. "When I came to check the camera, I couldn't believe what I saw at first. I was really surprised to have captured such a shot and, of course, I was thrilled," Kislovskij told Lithuanian news outlet LRT. However, the discovery also brought mixed emotions: "At the same time, it was a bit unsettling to realize that a bear had recently been walking around in that same area."
The sighting represents a significant milestone for Lithuania's natural heritage. The Baltic nation once maintained a healthy brown bear population, but like many European countries, Lithuania's bear numbers declined drastically due to overhunting and habitat loss. Kislovskij revealed that he had never even heard of a bear sighting in that particular area, highlighting just how rare these encounters have become.
While neighboring countries such as Latvia and Belarus have successfully maintained their native bear populations, Lithuania was thought to have completely lost its brown bear species. This assumption began changing recently when a bear cub was spotted in the northwestern part of the country, followed by Kislovskij's trail camera capture in April of this year.
Laimonas Daukša, director of the Lithuanian Hunters and Fishermen's Association, emphasized the historic significance of these sightings. "From now on, bears living in Lithuania, which were previously considered extinct, despite their regular visits to our nature, should also appear in the Red Book," Daukša stated. He noted that according to current procedures, only breeding species can be included in the Red Book, making the bear cub discovery particularly significant: "We have the first bear cub that has opened a new page in this book."
The evidence suggests that brown bears are making a notable comeback in Lithuania. This summer brought even more dramatic proof when a female brown bear wandered directly into Vilnius, the country's capital city, creating a sensational news story. The incident prompted the government to issue a kill permit for the bear, but local hunters refused to carry out the order, allowing the animal to safely return to the forest on her own.
Trail cameras have proven invaluable for documenting rare and endangered species that might otherwise go unnoticed. Last month, a camera trap in Pakistan successfully captured footage of a sand cat, a species listed as possibly extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These technological tools are becoming increasingly important for wildlife conservation efforts and species monitoring programs worldwide.
The return of brown bears to Lithuania represents hope for wildlife restoration across Europe, where many large mammal populations have faced severe decline. As these magnificent creatures slowly reclaim their historic territories, wildlife photographers and conservationists continue to document their progress, providing crucial evidence for protection and management programs.
