The unusually warm beginning to the winter season is keeping the bear population in the Tatra mountains wide awake.

Tourists visiting the Tatra National park frequently spot the animals wandering near tourist trails.

Marek Peksa from the Tatra National Park blames it all on the weather, saying that frequent temperatures over 10 degrees Celsius “causes the bears to be active, instead of getting ready for their winter hibernation”.

In some localities it has been reported that the hungry animals still find apples on trees and have even gone to the lengths of destroying beehives in search for honey. (ab/jb)