Residents have lost sleep in Halkidiki and Thessaloniki because of a coffee bear which periodically makes its appearance, causing in addition to fear and damage to crops and bees.

For this reason, the Directorate of Forests P.E. Halkidiki, in collaboration with the Forestry Departments of Polygyros and Arnaia, coordinates the actions of the Immediate Intervention Teams (IATs) that carry out actions to remove the animal from man-made activities with the use of pyrotechnic tools.

As he informs from the data he has collected turns out to be of the brown bear species (Ursus arctos) and is assumed to be eto male animal about 4 years old, which may have been driven out of its native territory by a dominant older male and through the Macedonian Tempes, entered Chalkidiki. It feeds mainly on the flora and micro-fauna of the forest, with a particular weakness on cherries and of course on honey and bee brood, thus causing isolated damage to beehives and agricultural crops.

Simultaneously, the scientific staff ofof environmental organization “I’m fine” installs special traps and a network with live streaming cameras, to capture the animal with the purpose of placing a radio detection and radio tracking collar, as decided at the meeting of the special Coordinating Committee for the Management of “crises” (incidents of bear (Ursus arctos) approach – interaction) in populated areas of P . E. Halkidiki) which was established following the protocol defined by Joint Ministerial Decision (G.Y.A.) with number 104180/433/5-2-2014 (Government Gazette: 272/t.Β΄/7-2 -2014)

At the same time, the Directorate of Forests of the P.E. Halkidiki, through informative leaflets, informs the citizens of the Prefecture, as well as farmers, livestock breeders and beekeepers, about the actions to be taken in the event of an encounter with the animal, but also about the measures to be taken for avoidance and prevention damages.