North Macedonia national park’s rising bear population poses a threat to residents

By KONSTANTIN TESTORIDES
Associated Press

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — A rising bear population is posing a threat to people in an area in western North Macedonia, where bear break-ins are increasingly common. A dozen cases of bears attempting to break into houses in search of food have been reported so far this year by fearful villagers living in the mountainous area of the Mavrovo National Park, the country’s largest. Some villagers have demanded that authorities take urgent measures for their protection. The head of the national Crises Management Center tells The Associated Press on Saturday that in the last five years the population of brown bears in the national park has doubled.