Threats:
(1) Some populations are very small and isolated. It is unsure if these are viable in the long term from the points of view of both numbers and genetics. Population supplementation may be necesary - for example like in the French Pyrenees.
(2) In many parts of the large populations bears are harvested by hunters. In these areas it is important that quotas are kept within the limits of sustainability.
(3) Depredation on livestock is common throughout Europe. Effective mitigation measures need to be encouraged and applied wherever bears occur.
(4) In many places roads are being built through bear habitat, which can fragment populations and increase mortality. It is important that new infrastructure development takes wide ranging species into account and incorporate mitigation structures (tunnels, green bridges) into their plans.
Distribution:
Distribution maps available from Data Dryad
Status:
17,000 to 18,000 in Europe (of which 15,000 to 16,000 are in EU)
10 populations
|
Population name
|
Countries
|
Size
(2012-2016)
|
Trend
|
|
Scandinavian
|
Norway, Sweden
|
2825
|
Decreasing
|
|
Karelian
|
Norway, Finland
|
1660
|
Stable
|
|
Baltic
|
Estonia, Latvia
|
700
|
Stable
|
|
Carpathian
|
Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia
|
7630
|
Stable
|
|
Dinaric-Pindos
|
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Albania, Serbia, Greece
|
3950
|
Stable - Increasing
|
|
Alpine
|
Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia
|
49-69
|
Stable - Increasing
|
|
Eastern Balkan
|
Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia
|
468-665
|
Stable
|
|
Central Apennine
|
Italy
|
45-69
|
Stable
|
|
Cantabrian
|
Spain
|
321-335
|
Increase
|
|
Pyrenean
|
France, Spain
|
30
|
Stable
|