Brown bears in Russia's Far East begin awakening from hibernation

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, April 19 (UPI) -- Brown bears in the Russian region of Kamchatka, said to be some of the world's largest examples of the species, are coming out of hibernation, officials say.

Some bears are already awake in the area of the Kronotsky nature reserve known as Geyser Valley where the first grass has begun to appear as ground is warmed by the geysers, RIA Novosti reported Friday.

"The animals are savoring the rare greenery," officials of the nature reserve said in a statement.

The brown bears of the Kamchatka Peninsula are the world's largest group living in an officially protected area, numbering around 1,700.

Mid-April is the normal time for Kamchatka's bears to start waking up and coming out of their lairs, but they will not be all that hungry yet as they still have up to two-thirds of the fat reserves gained over the last spring and summer, the nature reserve's statement said.