Authorities say the best way to prevent bears from visiting residential areas is to remove food sources from gardens and rubbish bins.
Police have warned that bears are waking up from hibernation, with several sightings already reported in Central Finland. An unusually high number of bears have also been spotted in the more northerly parts of the region.
Most observations have come from tracks and wildlife cameras used in hunting areas, but bears have also been seen in residential gardens.
Hungry after hibernation, bears may move closer to homes if food is easily available. The police therefore issued a reminder to the public that bears have been known to search rubbish bins and compost heaps.
Once a bear finds food, it quickly learns to return to the same location. Authorities said the best way to keep bears away is to remove anything that could attract them.
The police said they are monitoring bear behaviour alongside game management associations and the Finnish Wildlife Agency.
“If necessary, efforts are made to change the behavior of bears, for example, through expulsion measures ordered by the police or sound repellents provided by the Wildlife Agency,” explained Inspector Teemu Karhunen.
