Brown Bear Populations in Spain: Pyrenean Recovery and Cantabrian Stability

Brown bear 2024 Pyrenees population
Updated 2024 Population Figures Highlight Growth and Ongoing Challenges

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) has been making a cautious comeback in Spain over the last two decades. Two geographically isolated populations—the Pyrenean brown bear and the Cantabrian brown bear—are following different conservation paths. New data from 2024 reveals progress in both regions, alongside some pressing genetic and ecological concerns.

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Best Practices Manual for the PirosLife Project: The Restoration of Large Carnivores in Spain

Somiedo Experience

This article is a comprehensive translation from the original Spanish document, “Manuales de buenas prácticas del proyecto PirosLife: La recuperación de grandes carnívoros,” which reflects conservation efforts and data up to 2020.

Unable to find an English-language version, I have translated this excellent resource to ensure it reaches a wider audience. You can see the original Spanish document here.

The Piros life project website that ran from 2014 to 2018 is here.

The document explores the critical role of large carnivores in maintaining ecological balance and the significant initiatives in Spain aimed at conserving and restoring populations of wolves, bears, and lynxes. Through detailed analysis of habitat preservation, conflict mitigation, and successful reintroduction projects, this translation offers valuable insights into the ongoing challenges and opportunities in large carnivore conservation.

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The Brown Bear Population in the Cantabrian Mountains: Facts and Controversies

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The brown bear population in the Cantabrian Mountains has been a topic of significant discussion and research. Recent data and conflicting reports have sparked debates about the true state of the population and the effectiveness of conservation efforts. This article aims to consolidate information from two contradictory reports to provide a comprehensive overview of the … Read more

Debate Ensues Over the Best Methodology for Cantabrian Bear Census as Genetic Analysis Sparks Controversy

Somiedo Experience

In the lush wilderness of the Cantabrian Mountains, an ongoing debate is stirring within the conservation community regarding the most accurate methodology for assessing the population of Cantabrian bears, an iconic and endangered species native to northern Spain.

For decades, the traditional method of estimating the bear population relied on an annual census of bears with cubs. However, recent shifts in policy by several regional governments are advocating for an exclusive reliance on genetic analysis for this purpose.

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