Spain's Remarkable Recovery of the Endangered Brown Bear
In the heart of Europe, the Pyrenees and Cantabrian Mountains have witnessed a remarkable comeback of the Iberian brown bear population. Once critically endangered, the population is now thriving, with between 70 and 80 bears in two connected nuclei.
The recovery of this iconic species can be attributed to a series of conservation measures that focused on improving habitat protection and connectivity, reducing human threats, and supporting genetic diversity.
Habitat preservation and restoration played a crucial role in the bears' recovery. Protecting and managing forested areas in the Cantabrian Mountains ensured a better living environment for the bears and provided essential food resources such as nuts, fruits, and even chestnut, apple, and cherry trees planted higher up to withstand the crisis and provide food further away from villages.
Reducing human-caused mortality was another key factor. Measures to prevent poaching and conflicts with humans reduced direct lethal threats to the remaining bear population.
Genetic management also played a significant role in the population's recovery. Although specifics for Iberian bears are less documented, experiences from other small, isolated populations suggest that translocations or assisted gene flow to reduce inbreeding are important in maintaining genetic diversity and enhancing reproductive success.
Ongoing scientific efforts, including genomic studies and ecological monitoring, have informed adaptive management strategies to promote the bears’ recovery and sustain population growth.
However, the brown bear's journey is not without challenges. Climate change and increased human interaction pose new threats. With the expansion towards more humanized areas, there are more interactions between bears and humans, leading to property damage, especially to beehives and agricultural farms.
In the Pyrenees, the local bear population reached a point of no return in the 1980s due to hunting, traps, and poisonings, leading to the extinction of the native lineage in 2010. However, the recovery of the brown bear population began in the 1990s due to protection plans and increased social awareness.
In the Cantabrian Mountains, there is still work to be done to achieve the social acceptance that exists for brown bears in other regions. Social acceptance is crucial in ending poaching, which was a significant factor in the bear's decline.
From 2003 to 2012, the bear's distribution area expanded by 70%, and the two isolated populations were united into one. From 2013 to 2021, bears started seeking new territories and expanded into regions like León, Zamora, Ourense, and even Portugal.
The bear is now established as a "flagship species" in rural areas, generating resources through ecotourism. However, in some villages, bears have been reported approaching villages to feed, especially in the summer. Aversive measures, such as throwing firecrackers or shooting them with rubber bullets, are taken to prevent bears from getting used to interacting with humans.
Administrations on either side of the border promote the use of electric fences to group goats and sheep together at night in the mountains. Higher temperatures are causing bears to hibernate for less time or not at all, leading to more bears in the mountains and more interactions with hikers or hunters.
By 2002, the bear's population and distribution had started to recover significantly. However, the risk of fires will increase, and trees that bears feed on will have a harder time. Despite these challenges, the resurgence of the brown bear population in the Pyrenees and Cantabrian Mountains is a testament to the power of conservation efforts and the potential for recovery of endangered species.
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