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GUIDELINES FOR BROWN BEAR REINTRODUCTIONS IN EUROPE

Reintroduction and augmentation are valuable tools for species conservation, but, , can cause severe undesired effects and often fail. Translocations of bears are particularly challenging, because these are very costly programs, with low rate of success, and require many years to be completed. Furthermore, bear translocations are often very controversial and the human dimensions of this kind of programs should be deeply taken into account. In fact, reintroductions and augmentations can be strongly opposed by local people, both because of the damage bears can cause to human activities, and the risk of attacks to humans. In Europe, the precarious conservation status of several Brown bear populations (i.e. Cantabrian mountains, Pyrenees, Central Italy, Alps, etc.) impose to not a priori exclude translocations from the recovery alternatives. However, the characteristics of the region - a densely inhabited area with highly fragmented landscapes – indeed make bear translocations in Europe particularly complex. In the present paper, we review the main technical, biological, socio-economical and organizational aspects of bear translocations so far attempted in Europe. The review covers the several projects carried out before the 1970s (NOTE BY DH – Austrian reintroduction started in 1980s and should not be in this group)(e.g.: Eastern Slovakia, Bialowieza Primeval Forest) - that in most cases lacked any science based planning and management strategy - and the more recent programs (Austria, Pyrenees, Central Alps) - that have focused particular attention to post-release monitoring and conflict management. We did not consider releases of captive bears into the wild because of surplus captive stock, releases of confiscated dancing bears, and nuisance translocations. On the basis of the available information on the translocation projects so far carried out in Europe, we draw the main lessons that can be learnt and identify guidelines for future bear reintroduction and augmentation programs. The guidelines address the main critical aspects that should be evaluated when planning a translocation, including: source of founders ; potential impact on the source population ; size and structure of the release stock ; methods of capture, handling, transport and release ; conflict management, communication strategy and evaluation of public attitude ; post-release monitoring ; administrative, and financial aspects.

GUIDELINES; BROWN BEAR REINTRODUCTIONS; EUROPE

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