DISCOVER THE BANJA LUKA BEARS THROUGH INFORMATIVE BOARDS

We are all aware by now that brown bears inhabit the wider area surrounding the urban core of Banja Luka. Encounters with bears on the outskirts of the city are not uncommon, as well as sightings of signs of their presence.

PHOTO: Centar za životnu sredinu

Moreover, the damage caused by bears to local farmers in the Banja Luka municipality is among the most frequent. This is expected, given that the slopes of Čemernica and Manjača are typical and permanent habitats for brown bears. Banja Luka, a city developed in a basin, is surrounded by these magnificent, rugged, and forested expanses.

At the same time, an important segment of Banja Luka's landscape includes the forest-covered hills of Starčevica, Trapisti, and Šibovi. These green, high-value areas of the city's green belt were set aside a few years ago from regular forest management and declared special-purpose forests. Truth be told, the residents of Banja Luka love using these spaces for sports, recreation, and relaxation. The Banja Luka Forest Management oversees these areas.

Three years ago, the Center for Environmental Protection launched an initiative to protect this green oasis in accordance with the Nature Protection Law, aiming for Banja Luka to be a city with a valuable and significant protected natural area.

In addition to their importance for recreation and relaxation, these forests play a crucial role in preserving and improving the city's healthy environment. They contribute to better microclimatic conditions, ensure healthy water flows, provide drinking water, absorb large amounts of CO2, and release oxygen.

These forests are also biodiversity hotspots, and we can proudly say that one of their inhabitants is the brown bear.

However, while the bear is a beloved species, it is also a predator—a powerful animal that demands our respect and caution. That is why we considered it useful to install educational boards to inform visitors about bears and the desirable behavior humans should exhibit in nature, to minimize any unwanted encounters between humans and bears – said the Center for Environmental Protection.

Bear attacks on humans are extremely rare. If you do encounter a bear, both the bear and the person usually wish to carefully part ways. When a bear stands on its hind legs, it is not necessarily a threat but is simply observing the situation more closely. There are many interesting details worth knowing.

You can learn more from the boards we installed at the beginning of September in collaboration with the public forestry company JPŠ “Šume Republike Srpske” – Banja Luka management and the Hunting Association “Zmijanje” Banja Luka. The first board can be found across from the so-called Bear Cave (on the asphalt road leading from the ramp to the Monument of the Fallen Krajina Soldiers). The second board is located at Trešnjik, at the entrance to one of the many forest paths. Take a walk, enjoy nature, learn something new, and follow the recommendations for responsible behavior in nature – stated the Center for Environmental Protection.