VILNIUS, June 5 (Xinhua) -- A bear has crossed the border from Belarus into Lithuania across the River Nemunas, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reported on Thursday.
The animal was spotted on Wednesday night by officers at the Kapciamiestis station via a video surveillance system monitoring the border. The bear emerged from the Belarusian side, entered the river in the darkness, and swam across the more than 50-metre-wide Nemunas before reaching the Lithuanian bank and heading towards the forest.
The River Nemunas, also known as the Neman, flows from Belarus into Lithuania, forming a 17-kilometer border between the two countries. According to VSAT, Lithuanian border guards have recently sighted bears in or near the districts of Varena, Svencionys and Vilnius.
While bear sightings are rare in the Baltic states, wildlife experts say Estonia is the country where brown bears are most frequently observed. ■
