Once nearly extinct bears overtake Spanish villages

Spain’s Iberian brown bear population, once on the verge of extinction, have roared back and are now wreaking havoc on villages in Northern Spain, according to Reuters.

Authorities have been called in to guard residents and their crops, but in the meantime, locals are asked not to panic, but keep their distance and report encounters to rangers.

Once caught, the bears are anesthetized and given a GPS collar so they can be easily located in the future, per the outlet.

While the bears have been a nuisance for villagers, they’ve been great for business, boosting tourism in the area by people looking to catch a glimpse of them in the wild.