Ours brun

Scientific name:

Ursus arctos

Threat level:

Vulnerable

Authority:

Linnaeus, 1758

Common names:

• Grizzly bear (English)
• Brown bear (English)
• Brown bear (English)
• Oso pardo (Spanish)

Version:

3.1

Year assessed:

2008

Assessor(s):

Boitani, L., Jdeidi, T., Masseti, M., Nader, I., de Smet, K., & Cuzin, F.

Evaluator(s):

Temple, H. & Cuttelod, A.

Justification:

Mediterranean regionalassessment: VU C2a(i)

The total population in theassessment region is small (probably less than 2,500 mature individuals andcertainly less than 10,000) and fragmented, with each subpopulation numberingfewer than 1,000 mature individuals. Population trends are poorly known;although generally the population trend appears to have stabilized in recentyears owing to better protection, it is possible that there is a slowcontinuing decline as persecution continues in some areas. In the western partof the region remnant populations are tiny, isolated, and under severe threat. Consequentlythis species is classed as Vulnerable (C2a(i)). The assessment is not adjustedbecause there is little interchange with populations outside the region. If betterinformation shows that the overall trend is stable or increasing, reassessmentshould be considered.

 

Details of the Mediterraneanpopulations are given below:

 

1. Cantabrian.
The two Cantabrian populations apparently have been separated since the beginningof the century and now show genetic differences. Today, they are separated by30-50 km of mountainous terrain and interchange between the populations isthought to be unlikely, mainly due to unsuitable habitat and a high speedrailway and motorway. In the Western Cantabrian Mountainsthe population seems to be stable or increasing in the last decade and isdistributed over an area of 2,600 km². The most recent estimateusing genetic methods (García-Garitagoitia etal. 2004) calculated 85-143 bears for the western nucleus, with an averagenumber of 107. In the Eastern Cantabrian Mountains(20 bears) the population shows less potential for recovery, unless thecorridor with the western portion is reestablished. The total population forboth Cantabrian nuclei may be approximately 100-150 bears; not all of these aremature individuals.

2. Pyrenees
The autochthonous western population was estimated to be 3 individuals. Thelast documented reproductions occurred in 1995 and 1998. In 2006 thereintroduction action provided 5 (4F, 1M) bears from Slovenia mostly to central area.The autochthonous central population was gone before the last decade of 20thcentury. In 1996-1997 three bears were reintroduced from Slovenia. Therewas subsequent reproduction, including one male dispersal to Western Pyrenees. Until recently the Western and Central Pyrenees were treated as separate units. With the dispersal of onemale bear from the central to the west portion the connectivity is nowreastablished. The local bears have been totally isolated for over one centuryand had low genetic diversity. The recent reintroductions have resulted in theinflux of new genes.

3. Alps
The Central Austrian subpopulation now consists of about <10 bears. Afterincreases following reintroductions and local reproductions, in recent yearsnumbers have declined again. No more than 4 autochthonous bears survived innorth-eastern Italy until 10were reintroduced from Sloveniain 1999-2003. With subsequent reproduction the population has exceeded 20bears, and continues to grow; in 2006 a population of about 6-7 adults and16-17 sub-adults and cubs was recorded.

At least three individuals from the Trentino nuclei dispersed into Austria, Switzerlandand Germany.None of them became established, but this demonstrated the connectivity of thehabitat within the Alps and the potential forrecolonization. One bear was legally shot in Germany in July 2006 because of thepotential threat it posed to human safety (the bear repeatedly entered villagesand broke into barns), whereas the other two bears disappeared without leavingany tracks. Occasionally individuals dispersing from the Eastern Alpine nucleushave reached the Central Italian Alps, confirming a potential connectivityamong all the alpine nuclei.

4. Appenine Mountains
An estimate yielded a figure of 70-80 bears in 1985. However, since then therehas probably been a population decrease and 40-50 bears may be a more realisticestimate. Some expect this population to increase as poaching has been reducedin recent years, and areas surrounding Abruzzo National Parkhave been protected to secure suitable habitats. However, this populationexists within a densely human populated area and there are potential conflictsbetween bear conservation and development and recreation activities.

5. Dinara-Pindos
The population seems to be genetically very close to the remnant bears in the Alps. The population overall has been more or less stablein recent years. However, trends vary in different areas, with steady growth inSlovenia and Croatia, a marked drop in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s dueto the war, and probably stable or slightly decreasing trends in the south ofthe Dinarids, whereas in Pindos range it is characterized as stable (150-200)with locally positive trends and recolonization of former range. The populationsize estimate of 2,800 is based on weak supporting evidence. Approximately half(1,400) of these individuals are mature, and the population is divided intosubpopulations with each numbering less than 1,000 individuals. The populationtrend data is likewise based on little quantitative data and it is possiblethat the trend is declining rather than stable. In countries with bear huntingthere might be a political tendency for overestimation to justify higherquotas. In Slovenia in thenorth this population is close to that of the Alps.There is not a continuous distribution of female bears in the Alps,but there is movement of male bears. In Greecein the south the nearest bears are those of the Rila-Rhodope portion of theBalkan population along the border of Greeceand Bulgaria,but there is no evidence of connection.

6. Balkan
It consists of two segments: Rila-RhodopeMountains (520 bears) and Stara Planina Mountains (200 bears).Little is known about genetic structure. The connections between subpopulationswere recently proven, and there may be signs of recolonisation. In the earlyeighties Carpathian bears were released in Rhodope and Stara Planina Mountains. The numbersare not known since there is restricted access to this data.

 

7. Anatolian

The population numbers a fewhundreds. The population trend has stabilized as a result of strictprotection. 

Geographic ranges:

• Afghanistan (Native)
• Albania (Native)
• Andorra (Native)
• Armenia (Native)
• Austria (Native)
• Azerbaijan (Native)
• Belarus (Native)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina (Native)
• Bulgaria (Native)
• Canada (Native)
• China (Native)
• Croatia (Native)
• Czech Republic (Native)
• Estonia (Native)
• Finland (Native)
• France (Native)
• Georgia (Native)
• India (Native)
• Iran, Islamic Republic Of (Native)
• Iraq (Native)
• Italy (Native)
• Japan (Native)
• Kazakhstan (Native)
• Korea, Democratic People's Republic Of (Native)
• Kyrgyzstan (Native)
• Latvia (Native)
• Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic Of (Native)
• Mongolia (Native)
• Montenegro (Native)
• Nepal (Native)
• Norway (Native)
• Pakistan (Native)
• Poland (Native)
• Romania (Native)
• Russian Federation (Native)
• Serbia (Native)
• Slovakia (Native)
• Slovenia (Native)
• Spain (Native)
• Sweden (Native)
• Tajikistan (Native)
• Ukraine (Native)
• United States (Native)
• Uzbekistan (Native)
• Bhutan (Possibly extinct)
• Algeria (Regionally extinct)
• Egypt (Regionally extinct)
• Germany (Regionally extinct)
• Hungary (Regionally extinct)
• Israel (Regionally extinct)
• Lebanon (Regionally extinct)
• Liechtenstein (Regionally extinct)
• Mexico (Regionally extinct)
• Moldova, Republic Of (Regionally extinct)
• Morocco (Regionally extinct)
• Palestinian Territory, Occupied (Regionally extinct)
• Portugal (Regionally extinct)
• San Marino (Regionally extinct)
• Switzerland (Regionally extinct)
• Syrian Arab Republic (Regionally extinct)

Population trend:

Stable

Ecosystems

• Terrestrial

List of habitats:

• Forest
• Boreal
• Subarctic
• Temperate
• Shrubland
• Subarctic
• Boreal
• Subtropical/Tropical Dry
• Subtropical/Tropical Moist
• Grassland
• Tundra
• Subtropical/Tropical Dry

List of threats:

• Residential & commercial development
• Housing & urban areas
• Commercial & industrial areas
• Agriculture & aquaculture
• Wood & pulp plantations
• Agro-industry plantations

List of conservation actions:

• Land/water protection
• Resource & habitat protection
• Species management
• Species management
• Harvest management
• Trade management
• Education & awareness
• Awareness & communications
• Law & policy
• Legislation
• International level
• National level
• Sub-national level