Distribution of brown bears

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Brown bear range map Ursus arctos range map.svg
Brown bear range map

Brown bears (Ursus arctos) were once native to Europe, much of Asia, the Atlas Mountains of Africa, and North America, [1] but are now extirpated in some areas, and their populations have greatly decreased in other areas. There are approximately 200,000 brown bears left in the world. [2] The largest population is in Russia, with 120,000 individuals. [3] The brown bear occupies the largest range of habitats of any Ursus species with recorded observations in every temperate northern forest and at elevations as high as 5,000 m. [4]

Contents

Europe

In Europe, there are 14,000 brown bears in ten fragmented populations, from Spain (estimated at only 20–25 animals in the Pyrenees in 2010, [5] [6] in a range shared between Spain, France and Andorra, and some 210 animals in Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia and León, in the Picos de Europa and adjacent areas in 2013 [7] ) in the west, to Russia in the east, and from Sweden and Finland in the north to Romania (4000–5000), Bulgaria (900–1200), Slovakia (with about 2500–3000 animals), Slovenia (1100 animals) and Greece (with >500 animals) in the north of the country. [8] They are extinct in the British Isles (at least 1,500 years ago, possibly even 3,000 years ago), [9] [10] Denmark (about 6,500 years ago), [11] the Netherlands (about 1,000 years ago, although later singles rarely wandered from Germany), [12] Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany (in the year 1835, although singles wandering from Italy were recorded in 2006 and 2019), [13] [14] Switzerland (in 1904, although a single was seen in 1923 and since 2005 there has been an increasing number of sightings of wanderers from Italy), [15] [16] and Portugal (in 1843, although a wanderer from Spain was recorded in 2019), [17] endangered in France, and threatened in Spain and most of Central Europe. The Carpathian brown bear population of Romania is the largest in Europe outside Russia, estimated at 4,500 to 5,000 bears, although declining alarmingly due to overhunting. [18] There is also a smaller brown bear population in the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine (estimated at 200 in 2005), Slovakia (estimated at 2500 - 3000 in 2020) and Poland (estimated at 100 in 2009 in the latter country). [19] The total Carpathian population is estimated at 8,000. [20] Northern Europe is home to a large bear population, with an estimated 2,500 (range 2,350–2,900) in Sweden, about 1,600 in Finland, [21] about 1,000 in Estonia and 70 in Norway. Another large and relatively stable population of brown bears in Europe, consisting of 2,500–3,000 individuals, is the Dinaric-Pindos (Balkans) population, with contiguous distribution in northeast Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria and Greece. [22]

The population of brown bears in the Pyrenees mountain range between Spain and France is extremely low, estimated at 14 to 18, with a shortage of females. Their rarity in this area has led biologists to release bears, mostly female, from Slovenia in spring 2006 to reduce the imbalance and preserve the species' presence in the area. The bears were released despite protests from French farmers. A small population of brown bears ( Ursus arctos marsicanus ) still lives in central Italy (the Apennine Mountains, Abruzzo and Latium), with no more than 50–60 individuals, protected by strong laws, but endangered by the human presence in the area.[ citation needed ] In 2020, a film crew working in Natural Park O Invernadeiro in Ourense, Galicia recorded the first brown bear in northwestern Spain in 150 years. [23]

Asia

In Asia, brown bears are found primarily throughout Russia, thence more spottily southwest to parts of Turkey, to as far south as southwestern Iran, and to the southeast in a small area of Northeast China, Western China, and parts of North Korea, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. It is determined that the number of brown bears in Turkey comes up to 5,432, and they have an average density of 194 bears/1,000 km2. [24] They can also be found on the Japanese island of Hokkaidō, which holds the largest number of non-Russian brown bears in eastern Asia with about 2,000–3,000 animals. [25]

North America

Kodiak bears live in Alaska, east through the Yukon and Northwest Territories, south through British Columbia and through the western half of Alberta. The Alaskan population is estimated at a healthy 32,000 individuals. [26] Small populations of grizzly bears exist in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem of northwest Wyoming (with about 600 animals), the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem of northwest Montana (with about 750 animals), the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem of northwest Montana and northeast Idaho (with about 30–40 animals), the Selkirk Ecosystem of northeast Washington and northwest Idaho (with about 40–50 animals), and the North Cascades Ecosystem of northcentral Washington (with about 5–10 animals). These five ecosystems combine for a total of approximately 1,400-1,700 wild grizzlies still persisting in the contiguous United States. [27] These populations are isolated from each other, inhibiting any genetic flow between ecosystems. This poses one of the greatest threats to the future survival of the grizzly bear in the contiguous United States. Conservation efforts to increase this number begin with reducing human-bear interactions and creating protected wildlife spaces. Attempts at reintroduction have been made by wildlife advocates, but ultimately rejected by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. [28] The last California grizzly bear sighting was in 1924 and no specimens have been seen since. [29]

A small brown bear population once lived in the northern parts of Mexico, New Mexico, and Arizona. [30] This population is now extinct as the last known Mexican grizzly bear was shot in 1976. [31] These bears were smaller and lighter than the Canadian and United States brown bear population. Because of their lighter coloring, they were often referred to as “el oso plateado” (the silver bear). [30]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown bear</span> Large bear native to Eurasia and North America

The brown bear is a large bear native to Eurasia and North America. It is one of the largest land carnivorans, rivaled in size only by its closest relative, the polar bear, which is much less variable in size and slightly bigger on average. The brown bear is a sexually dimorphic species, as adult males average around 30% larger in most populations. Brown bears are often not fully brown; the pelage can be reddish to yellowish-brown, and dark brown to cream in color. They are the only extant bears with a hump formed entirely of muscle on their shoulders. The paws are large and allow the bear to effectively dig through dirt. Its teeth are similar to those of other bears and reflect its dietary plasticity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American black bear</span> Species of bear

The American black bear, also known as the black bear, is a species of medium-sized bear endemic to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. The American black bear is an omnivore, with a diet varying greatly depending on season and location. It typically lives in largely forested areas but will leave forests in search of food and is sometimes attracted to human communities due to the immediate availability of food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California grizzly bear</span> Extinct population of the brown bear

The California grizzly bear, also known as the California golden bear, is an extinct population of the brown bear, generally known as the grizzly bear. "Grizzly" could have meant "grizzled" – that is, with golden and grey tips of the hair – or "fear-inspiring". Nonetheless, after careful study, naturalist George Ord formally classified it in 1815 – not for its hair, but for its character – as Ursus horribilis. Genetically, North American brown bears are closely related; in size and coloring, the California grizzly bear was much like the Kodiak bear of the southern coast of Alaska. The grizzly became a symbol of the Bear Flag Republic, a moniker that was attached to the short-lived attempt by a group of U.S. settlers to break away from Mexico in 1846. Later, this rebel flag became the basis for the state flag of California, and then California was known as the "Bear State".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem</span> Ecosystem in the Rocky Mountains

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) is one of the last remaining large, nearly intact ecosystems in the northern temperate zone of the Earth. It is located within the northern Rocky Mountains, in areas of northwestern Wyoming, southwestern Montana, and eastern Idaho, and is about 22 million acres (89,000 km2). Yellowstone National Park and the Yellowstone Caldera 'hotspot' are within it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kodiak bear</span> Largest subspecies of Brown Bears/Grizzly Bears

The Kodiak bear, also known as the Kodiak brown bear, sometimes the Alaskan brown bear, inhabits the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in southwest Alaska. It is one of the largest recognized subspecies or population of the brown bear, and one of the two largest bears alive today, the other being the polar bear. They are also considered by some to be a population of grizzly bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurasian brown bear</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Eurasian brown bear is one of the most common subspecies of the brown bear, and is found in much of Eurasia. It is also called the European brown bear, common brown bear, common bear, and colloquially by many other names. The genetic diversity of present-day brown bears has been extensively studied over the years and appears to be geographically structured into five main clades based upon analysis of the mtDNA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ursid hybrid</span> Bear hybrids

An ursid hybrid is an animal with parents from two different species or subspecies of the bear family (Ursidae). Species and subspecies of bear known to have produced offspring with another bear species or subspecies include American black bears, grizzly bears, and polar bears, all of which are members of the genus Ursus. Bears not included in Ursus, such as the giant panda, are expected to be unable to produce hybrids with other bears. The giant panda bear belongs to the genus Ailuropoda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grizzly–polar bear hybrid</span> Cross between grizzly and polar bear

A grizzly-polar-bear-hybrid is a rare ursid hybrid that has occurred both in captivity and in the wild. In 2006, the occurrence of this hybrid in nature was confirmed by testing the DNA of a unique-looking bear who had been shot near Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories, on Banks Island in the Canadian Arctic. The number of confirmed hybrids has since risen to eight, all of them descending from the same female polar bear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Himalayan brown bear</span> Subspecies of mammal

The Himalayan brown bear, also known as the Himalayan red bear or isabelline bear, is a subspecies of the brown bear occurring in the western Himalayas. It is the largest mammal in the region, males reaching up to 2.2 m long, while females are a little smaller. It is omnivorous and hibernates in dens during the winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican grizzly bear</span> Extinct population of the brown bear

The Mexican grizzly bear is an extinct population of the grizzly bear in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bear hunting</span> Practices in Europe and North America

Bears have been hunted since prehistoric times for their meat and fur. In addition to being a source of food, in modern times they have been favored by big game hunters due to their size and ferocity. Bear hunting has a vast history throughout Europe and North America, and hunting practices have varied based on location and type of bear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cantabrian brown bear</span> Subspecies of brown bear

The Cantabrian brown bear, Iberian brown bear, or Iberian bear is a population of Eurasian brown bears living in the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ussuri brown bear</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Ussuri brown bear, also known as the Ezo brown bear, Russian grizzly bear, or the black grizzly bear, is a subspecies of the brown bear or a population of the Eurasian brown bear. One of the largest brown bears, a very large Ussuri brown bear may approach the Kodiak bear in size. It is not to be confused with the North American grizzly bear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muskwa–Slave Lake Taiga</span> Taiga ecoregion of northwestern Canada

The Muskwa-Slave Lake Taiga ecoregion covers Canadian taiga in northwestern Alberta, northeastern British Columbia and a large portion of the southwestern Northwest Territories around the Mackenzie River valley and the Great Slave Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grizzly bear</span> Subspecies of brown bear

The grizzly bear, also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Peninsula brown bear</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Alaska Peninsula brown bear or "peninsular grizzly" is a colloquial nomenclature for a possible brown bear subspecies that lives in the coastal regions of southern Alaska. It may be a population of the mainland grizzly bear subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grizzly 399</span> American grizzly bear

Grizzly 399 is a grizzly bear inhabiting Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest. She is followed by as many as 40 wildlife photographers, and millions of tourists come to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to see her and other grizzly bears. Grizzly 399 is the most famous brown bear mother in the world, with her own Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

Formerly or currently considered subspecies or populations of brown bears have been listed as follows:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dietary biology of the brown bear</span>

The brown bear is one of the most omnivorous animals in the world and has been recorded to consume the greatest variety of foods of any bear. Throughout life, this species is regularly curious about the potential of eating virtually any organism or object that they encounter. Certainly no other animal in their given ecosystems, short perhaps of other bear species and humans, can claim to feed on as broad a range of dietary opportunities. Food that is both abundant and easily obtained is preferred. Their jaw structure has evolved to fit their dietary habits. Their diet varies enormously throughout their differing areas based on opportunity. In spring, winter-provided carrion, grasses, shoots, sedges and forbs are the dietary mainstays for brown bears from almost every part of their distribution. Fruits, including berries, become increasingly important during summer and early autumn. Roots and bulbs become critical in autumn for some inland bear populations if fruit crops are poor. The dietary variability is illustrated in the western United States, as meat made up 51% of the average year-around diet for grizzly bears from Yellowstone National Park, while it made up only 11% of the year-around diet for grizzlies from Glacier National Park a few hundred miles to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests</span>

The Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It extends along the Pyrenees mountains which run east and west along the border between France and Spain, and includes all Andorra. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Pyrenees to its highest peaks, which include Aneto, Posets, and Vignemale.

References

  1. ↑ "Ancient bear made early migration". BBC News . November 12, 2004. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Brown Bear | Species | WWF". WWF.
  3. ↑ "Brown Bear". Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  4. ↑ Hunter, Luke (2011). Carnivores of the world. Priscilla Barrett. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN   978-0-691-15228-8. OCLC   724663784.
  5. ↑ "Neixen quatre cries d'ós bru als Pirineus". elperiodico.cat (in Catalan and Spanish). August 2, 2010. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Situació preocupant de l'ós bru als Pirineus" (in Catalan). ecologistasenaccion.org. May 2010. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Osos, el desafío de una población creciente". ABC (in Spanish). Spain.
  8. ↑ Pylidis, Anijalg, Saarma et al. (2021) Multisource noninvasive genetics of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Greece. Ecology and Evolution. 11, 6427–6443. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.7493
  9. ↑ "Lost history of brown bears in Britain revealed". BBC. July 4, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  10. ↑ O'Regan, H.J. (2018). "The presence of the brown bear Ursus arctos in Holocene Britain: a review of the evidence" (PDF). Mammal Review. 48 (4): 229–244. doi:10.1111/mam.12127. S2CID   90432256.
  11. ↑ "I forbindelse med et skoleprojekt spørger en læser, hvornår bjørnen uddøde i Danmark?" (in Danish). naturguide.dk. July 25, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kuijper, W.J.; et al. (2016). "One of the last wild brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the Netherlands (Noordwijk)". Lutra. 59 (1–2): 49–64.
  13. ↑ "Brown bears expected to return to Germany". Deutsche Welle. February 6, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  14. ↑ "First bear in Germany in 16 years". wilderness-society.org. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Brown bear". nationalpark.ch. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Bears in Switzerland: They are back, but still a problem". switzerlanding.com. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  17. ↑ "The brown bear reappears in Portugal after almost two centuries". Euromontana. May 23, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Proact Local Campaigns: Carpathian Brown Bear". Archived from the original on March 24, 2004. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Carpathian Brown Bear Management Plan [in Poland]". carpathianbear.pl. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
  20. ↑ "Brown Bear – Population & Distribution: A Truly International Species". wwf.panda.org. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
  21. ↑ "Karhu" (in Finnish). suurpedot.fi. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
  22. ↑ Bear Online Information System for Europe Archived 2021-06-14 at the Wayback Machine . Kora.ch. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  23. ↑ Guy, Jack. "Brown bear seen for first time in 150 years in northern Spanish park". CNN. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  24. ↑ Başkaya, E.; Gündoğdu, E.; Başkaya, Ş. "Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) Population Density in the Eastern Black Sea Mountains in Türkiye" (PDF). aloki.hu/. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  25. ↑ Carnivores of the World by Dr. Luke Hunter. Princeton University Press (2011), ISBN   9780691152288
  26. ↑ "Brown Bear Research in Alaska". Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  27. ↑ Rott, Nathan (February 2, 2019). "As Grizzlies Come Back, Frustration Builds Over Continued Protections". NPR. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Federal Officials Discount Reintroduction, Recovery Proposals for Grizzly Bears in Long-Overdue Status Report". Center for Biological Diversity. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Great grizzly bear hunt in Santa Paula backcountry reaps state flag icon, tall tales". Ventura County Star. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  30. 1 2 "Mexican Grizzly Bear (extinct)". Bear Conservation: working for bears. February 16, 2021.
  31. ↑ Gallo-Reynoso, Juan-Pablo; Van Devender, Thomas; Reina-Guerrero, Ana Lilia; Egido-Villarreal, Janitzio; Pfeiler, Edward (June 2008). "Probable Occurrence of a Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) in Sonora, Mexico, in 1976". The Southwestern Naturalist. 53 (2): 256–260. doi:10.1894/0038-4909(2008)53[256:POOABB]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0038-4909. S2CID   85724524.
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