Bear sighting at Prem: Is the forest dweller gone again?

Bear sighting at Prem: Is the forest dweller gone again?

In an unusual turn in the Weilheim-Schongau region, a possible bear sighting was recently reported. This eerie news came for the first time from the Bundeswehr soldiers who spotted a supposed bear during a nightly exercise in the southeastern district of Ostallgäu, very close to the district border. The soldiers reported that they had perceived a dark shadow in a group of trees on the night of October 17 to October 17th to October 17th to October 17th. Since they had no cell phones with them during their exercise, they unfortunately could not take a photo of the animal.

The information about the sighting was published on Thursday evening (October 17) by the State Office for the Environment (LFU) and immediately caused excitement. While the soldiers perceived the possible bears, the district office Weilheim-Schongau confirmed the sighting, but initially remained unclear how close the animal really was. It turned out that the bear on the east of the hamlet, i.e. on the border with Weilheim-Schongau, was seen, only removed a little more than 1000 meters from the village of Prem.

technical review and further information

After the sighting, a comprehensive review by experts from the network was initiated immediately. However, this review did not bring any evidence of the presence of a bear, since no stepping seals, legacies or other information were found. The Bavarian State Office for the Environment therefore classified the sighting as unconfirmed and informed that there is currently no further indications of a bear presence in the region.

When surveying the residents, a wide variety of reactions were shown. Lori Konrad, a local resident, expressed that she felt uncertain and plans to set up a wild camera to document possible encounters. Daniela Köpf, also a resident, expressed concerns about the safety of her animals. The mayor Andreas Echtler, on the other hand, showed himself calmly and suspected that the bear could already be far away. "The bear is probably far away again," he said in a relaxed note about the situation.

The possible bear sighting has also triggered a broader discussion about bears in Bavaria. A spokesman for the State Office for the Environment made it clear that there had been no confirmed sightings in Bavaria since May 2023. This is all the more shiny compared to Austria, where bear views have occurred more often in the recent past. So the region seems to have been spared from bear problems, which initially gives the local citizens a feeling of security.

In addition, the advent of this sighting led to a lively debate among the conservationists in the area. Wolfram Gäfgen, a well -known conservationist and the new conductor of the Premer music band, spoke out to leave the animals alone. "Let the animals live. In any case, I am against it that you just crazy because it might be dangerous," he said. These statements reflect the differentiated views among the residents.

The situation remains tense, even if the security of the residents and their animals can be regarded as given according to the previous reviews. However, it remains to be seen whether further sightings will be confirmed in the future or whether this incident was a unique appearance. The region keeps the region in suspense and everyone hopes that nature will be respected in its wildness.

For further information and the latest developments, the article by www.merkur.de are consulted.