HE grizzly bear The Cantabrian has been the emblem of much of Spain’s northern regions for decades. Especially Asturias and Cantabria. Although no one doubted her majesty and undoubted beauty, it was not these qualities that made her a symbol. The reasons why this happens are not very pleasant. Its extinction was so tangible that it was included in the list of protected species in 1973. He was one of the first to do this. At that time it was in critical danger of extinction and was in the Cantabrian Mountains. only 60 specimens survived they are split into two separate and uncommunicative cores. I had to go to work. Now, fortunately, the situation is radically different.
Recent counts speak of 375 copies. So the number is multiplied by six. Added to this is the growth of bear populations in the Pyrenees, which, although smaller, is increasing. The conservation strategy in which environmental organizations participate as well as public administrations and private companies, To be successful. But now, with rapidly evolving climate change, new challenges arise.
The brown bear population in the Cantabrian Mountains has grown from 60 to 375 in about 50 years.
From the Oso Pardo Foundation, which was founded in 1992, they remember what their main areas of action were three decades ago: social acceptance, reducing poaching and protecting habitats. The best news came when the bear managed to break out of the critically endangered category.
This success was achieved thanks to a series of small victories. Decades ago it was common to find it in the Cantabrian Mountains. specimens killed by traps, poison baits, or shot. The strategy for the protection of the brown bear, drawn up by the Ministry of Ecological Transition in September 2019, highlights the increase in “the fight against poaching so much that patrols are created specifically dedicated to their monitoring and protection.” The text also encourages us not to let our guard down, because while poaching may seem like a thing of the distant past, the truth is. Deaths of Cantabrian bears by poisons, bonds or lead are still recorded.
Expand the protected area
Almost the entire bear region of this mountain range is registered in the Natura 2000 Network of Protected Areas, so its conservation became an institutional issue many years ago. Strategic fields were also built on this line to guarantee food for the bears. While they are key decisions for the future of the genre, experts urge them not to go one step further. All agree on this It is necessary to review the area that falls into this category.because the offspring are already outside this limit.
What’s the problem? Less surveillance and control of these outer regions, which could translate into an increase in mortality in the medium term. Not only that, they are also leaving the lands that are intended to pay aid to mitigate possible economic losses from the movement of bears. This is, for example, compensating a beekeeper if one of these animals ‘steals’ a hive.
deserves a separate section social acceptance, one of the most insistent columns of all the agents involved. And one of the most successful mowed. As the Miteco text states, the support of the rural world is “essential to successfully achieving conservation goals.” And this The bear has become an economic engine for parts of the Cantabrian Mountains.. Thousands of tourists come to these regions in the hope of seeing these specimens in the wild during the spring and summer months.
The bear has become an economic engine for some regions due to the arrival of tourists.
living specimens in The Pyrenees (on both sides of the border) is also experiencing continuous development in its population, which is much smaller than in the Cantabrian Sea. 60 copies were counted in 2020, 74 in 2021 and 76 in 2022. Importantly, what experts emphasize is that more and more offspring are being observed, this is a sign of hope.
interact with people
The increase in bears in the wild also makes interaction between bears and humans more likely. It is also conditional increase in tourists especially after the quarantines caused by the coronavirus pandemic, they rediscovered the countryside and found nature as a place of refuge.
We must not lose sight of the fact that a problem that never goes beyond anecdote. These are animals with extraordinarily developed hearing and sense of smell, so they anticipate human presence and avoid it. But it is becoming less and less unreasonable for these accidental ‘encounters’ to occur, especially in winter. Although traditionally this species hibernates during the coldest months of the year, experts are observing changes in this trend. The reason for this may be the changes in the climate and the corresponding increase in temperatures.
Generally speaking, in such a situation, The most important thing is to try to escape slowly, without the animal getting upset and in no case closing the escape routes.. You shouldn’t run either. If the specimen is moving towards the human’s location, it must be noticed, not aggressively, for the bear to change course. Of course, if you come across a female bear and her cubs, you should never come between them. If the bear stands up when it senses the presence of a human, it should not be interpreted as an aggressive attitude as it is normal for it to want to identify it. In general, these animals are dangerous only when injured.
According to a report by the Oso de Asturias Foundation, this animal could be an unexpected ally in society and governments’ fight against climate change. The presence of brown bears contributes to the regeneration of the forest by the dispersal of seeds containing the fruits on which they feed.. “This can be very positive in protecting patches of forest within the distribution area,” he said.
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REPORT. William Palomero (President of the Brown Bear Foundation)
“Social acceptance of the month is a very important factor”
The biggest mission of the Brown Bear Foundation is to ensure full social acceptance of this breed. Its members realize that if the rural world turns its back on it, it is impossible to make progress in its preservation. This is the message that its president, Guillermo Palomero, has repeated over and over.
-If the bear population continues to increase at the current rate, is there a risk of similar rejection to the wolf?
Social acceptance is very important. While the bear doesn’t kill like a wolf, the inconvenience of a second’s damage is a risk. Therefore, it is very important to minimize the damage, which mostly affects the beehives and fruit trees, and sometimes also the farmers, by implementing preventive measures. In addition, the big issue waiting for the payment is made quickly. Not just for the money issue, but also for the understanding issue.
-Can climate change cause changes in the habitat of the Cantabrian brown bear?
-It’s an issue we’re working on with the European Union’s Life Project. So far, we have drawn three main conclusions. The first is that there is a change in their behavior: There are instances that hibernate less often or even not at all. The second issue is power supplies. Experts predict that some fruits that are very interesting to bears, such as blueberries, will have a very hard time surviving. Atlantic beeches and oaks are also endangered. However, other species such as Mediterranean oak, cranberry oak or chestnut will have no problems and will even produce more fruit at higher altitudes. It is true that they will lose some food sources, but they will be compensated by others, so food will be guaranteed every season. The third is fires that worry us the most.
Is there a plan to fight them?
-Summers are getting drier and leaving higher temperatures. This is why the fires are getting bigger, more uncontrollable and more destructive each time. If you add to this that there is a long tradition of burning on the land of the Cantabrian Mountains… We have very good firefighting equipment, but we must work on preventive management.
Could a change in food make the bears ‘move’ to other places in the Cordillera?
We don’t think that will happen. It is a very food-rich region, so they do not need to make long journeys. They will not abandon their Cordillera, but they will continue to expand. We already have male bears in La Cabrera (León) and Ourense. They move a lot during the mating season. We have not yet detected these movements in female bears.
– Is the goal of the brown bear facing extinction close?
-We are moving towards this, we are working for it. Hopefully in a few years we will see the bear change category as vulnerable. It is now in critical danger. A lot of effort was spent, a lot of money… But for everything to end well, it is not enough to eliminate the danger of extinction, it must be achieved with the full support of the rural community. Their presence should be beneficial and their coexistence should be as positive and calm as it has been until now.
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Contact address of the environment department: crizclimatica@prensaiberica.es
Source: Informacion
James Sean is a writer for “Social Bites”. He covers a wide range of topics, bringing the latest news and developments to his readers. With a keen sense of what’s important and a passion for writing, James delivers unique and insightful articles that keep his readers informed and engaged.