Loud noise can wake a bear in its den, wildlife expert says

A bear in its winter den is inactive rather than deeply asleep, so shouting, music or work with trees can disturb it, a Ufa wildlife expert told RIA Novosti on October 8.

Dmitry Strelnikov, director of a wildlife rehabilitation center in Ufa, said a person walking quietly past a den is unlikely to wake the animal. A den can often be identified by a mound, fallen trees or large stumps.

Bears may also leave their dens in search of food when waste or manure is dumped near small settlements, Strelnikov said. He recalled that a noisy gathering with a bonfire, songs and dancing woke bears near the village of Avdon several years ago.

The next day, the animals left their dens and went to a burned poultry farm to feed on waste before returning to the forest. The expert cited the incident as an example of how loud sounds can disturb bears.