An adult brown bear can weigh as much as 300 kilograms — heavier than most motorcycles — and stand nearly two metres tall when it rises up on its hind legs. Despite their size, brown bears are incredibly good at moving quietly through the forest. Most people who walk in Lithuanian forests never see one at all.
Brown bears are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. In summer they gorge on berries, honey, insects, and fish. Before winter they eat so much that they build up a thick layer of fat, then find a cosy den under a fallen tree or between large rocks and sleep through the coldest months. This deep winter sleep is called hibernation.
Lithuania's Aukštaitija National Park and the forests along the borders with Belarus and Latvia are where bears are most likely to be found. Camera traps — cameras that take photographs automatically when an animal walks past — have shown that bears are quietly exploring areas where almost nobody expected them.
In Lithuanian folklore, the bear is a respected and powerful animal. Old stories often describe the bear as wise and strong, a keeper of the forest. Some folk songs and wooden carvings feature bears, connecting the Lithuanian people to the natural world around them.