As bears have increasingly descended into human settlements across multiple provinces in Türkiye, an expert recommends the protection of food resources in bears' natural habitats to mitigate such incidents.

Professor Cumhur Güngöroğlu, from Karabük University's Faculty of Forestry and the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, stressed the importance of safeguarding food resources for bears in their natural environments. He emphasized that bears are among the largest predators in Türkiye and play a vital role in the ecosystem.

Bears belong to the omnivore group in the food chain, with highly developed senses of smell and wide-ranging movement capabilities. Güngöroğlu pointed out that bears employ their keen sense of smell to locate food, and if their feeding areas in the forest lack sufficient food resources, they will follow the scent and venture into human-populated areas.

Urban areas provide potential food sources for bears, leading them to venture closer to cities to satisfy their own dietary needs and those of their cubs. For instance, the recent appearance of a bear family in the city center of Karabük was attributed to changes in their habitat due to the presence of bears in the forest.

Karabük's city center is closely connected to forests, making it a short distance from the forest to the city. Additionally, food waste and other food sources around the city can attract bears.

Güngöroğlu provided recommendations to prevent bear incursions into human settlements. He advocated for forest management and the development of a bear management plan that would protect essential food resources for bears, including seed plants, oily plants, preferred food sources, specific plant species and mushroom-rich areas.

He further underscored the importance of not disturbing bears in their natural habitats, as disturbances can lead them to seek new feeding areas. Güngöroğlu explained that bears enter a phase called hyperphagia (overeating) for two to three months after the summer, during which they require an excessive amount of nutrition before hibernation begins. To prevent encounters with humans during this period, he suggested leaving supplementary food in the bears' natural habitats.

The expert warned against using firearms when encountering bears, as it can have dangerous consequences and result in significant fines of TL 50,000 ($1,790). He also noted that the mushroom season aligns with the bears' hyperphagia phase, creating a higher probability of bear encounters in forested areas where people go to collect mushrooms. To minimize the risk of encounters, Güngöroğlu advised against collecting mushrooms alone and making noise to alert bears to human presence.