Brown bear sighted in Brand, Vorarlberg, Austria

A brown bear was captured on a wildlife camera in the early hours of 9 June 2026 in the municipality of Brand, Vorarlberg. The animal is thought to be a young male and represents the first confirmed bear in the region this year. Authorities say there is no immediate cause for alarm but request the public to follow safety guidelines: stay on marked trails, keep dogs on a leash, secure livestock overnight, close stable doors, protect beehives with electric fencing and eliminate food sources that might attract the bear. If an encounter occurs, people should speak calmly and loudly, retreat slowly, avoid approaching the animal and keep an escape route clear. Sightings should be reported to the nearest police station, the district office in Bludenz, or wildlife ecologist Hubert Schatz. The advice was issued by Landesrat Christian Gantner and wildlife ecologist Hubert Schatz.