Cantabrian brown bear
Encyclopedia
Cantabrian brown bear refers to a population of Eurasian brown bear
s (Ursus actos arctos) living in the Cantabrian Mountains
of Spain
. Females weigh, on average, 85kg but can reach a weight of 150kg. Males average 115kg though can weigh as much as 200kg. The bear measures between 1.6 – 2m in length and between 0.90 -1m at shoulder height. In Spain, it is known as the Oso pardo cantábrico and, more locally, in Asturias
as Osu. It is timid and will avoid human contact whenever possible. The Cantabrian brown bear can live for around 25-30 years in the wild.
Ursidae experts are continuing debate on the scientific classification of bears, of which there are currently eight recognised species although some experts recognise more subspecies
.
In the early 20th century, Cabrera (1914) considered the Cantabrian brown bear to be a distinct subspecies of European brown bear, Ursus arctos arctos, (in itself a classification currently under debate) and named it Ursus arctos pyrenaicus (Fischer, 1829), characterised by the yellow colouring of the points of its hair and by its black paws.
Since then however, phylogenetic
and mitochondrial DNA
research has led to the general scientific consensus that the European brown bear is not a separate subspecies. These recent studies have also found that the European populations fall into two major genetic
lineages; an Eastern and a Western type.
The Cantabrian brown bear forms a part of the Western type, the effective barriers of the Pleistocene
ice sheets of the Alps
and the Balkans
having directed the spread of the brown bear respectively, north and eastwards and south and westwards. A further distinction of two clades
has been made within the Western lineage following post-glacial recolonisation after the Last Glacial Maximum
(LGM); one consisting of the bear populations of Southern Scandinavia, the Pyrenees
and Cantabrian Mountains
of Northern Spain and the other consisting of the bear populations of the Southern Alps
, the Appennines, the Dinaric Alps
, the Rila Mountains
, the Rhodope Mountains
and the Stara Planina mountains.
This leaves the remnant population of Brown bears in the south of Sweden as the nearest relatives of the Cantabrian brown bear. The last indigenous, reproductive female in the Pyrenees, Canelle, was shot by a hunter in 2004. Brown bears from Slovenia
are now being introduced to the Pyrenees.
, since the first half of the 20th century the Cantabrian brown bear has been reduced to two isolated populations in the Cantabrian mountains of Northern Spain, primarily through human persecution (direct hunting) and by loss of habitat due to agriculture and construction. These two populations occupy a combined territory total of between 5,000 – 7,000km2 covering the provinces of, in the West, Asturias, León
and Lugo (Galicia) and, in the East, Palencia
, León, Cantabria
and Asturias. Latest population figures (2007) give between 100-110 bears in the Western enclave and between 20-30 in the Eastern. The two populations are separated by some 30-40km, a rupture which has been interpreted as the consequence of the development of communication infrastructures and human pressure. However, in 2008 genetic evidence was obtained from Redes Natural Park
indicating recent interbreeding between the two populations.
In 2005 the presence of brown bears was reported near the Portuguese border (less than 20km) on the Trevinca
range, based on footprints left on a big mud pad. It is very plausible that brown bears, nowadays, cross the border on some occasions.citation required
as In Danger of Extinction
. In Europe it is listed in the European Mammal Assessment
as Critically Endangered
. On an international level, it is listed on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species as of Least Concern
due to the existence of relatively healthy populations of Brown bears elsewhere.
In Spain there is a maximum fine of €300,000 for killing a bear following a ban on hunting of the species in 1973.
has led to genetic complications including the higher probability of birth defects and a higher ratio of male to female births (more males than females). Added to this is the extreme philopatry
usually exhibited by female Brown bears which leads to a very slow dispersal rate of reproductive females.
Another present threat comes in the form of the EU’s Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) laws which are enforcing the removal of carcasses from the countryside. Though only a small part of the Cantabrian brown bear’s mainly vegetarian diet, carrion is very important for the building of fat reserves ready for the winter and, in spring, is a vital source of sustenance following the rigours of the winter. It is hoped that these disease containment measures will be revised following a meeting of concerned Spanish environmentalists with the European Commission in October 2007.
Recent mild winters, possibly due to climate change, have not been severe enough to necessitate hibernation.
pass, a site in the eastern region of the bears' habitat.
since the year 2000.
The Spanish Ministry of the Environment had previously drawn up a "Plan para la Recuperación del Oso Pardo" (Plan for the Recovery of the Brown Bear) with the intention of saving the species from extinction by coordinating conservation efforts across the autonomous communities in which it currently lives. Among the responsibilities of regional governments are various natural parks
which provide suitable habitat for bears. Bears appear not to have a permanent presence in the only national park in the Cantabrian mountains, the Picos de Europe National Park
.
Bear habitat
is monitored by patrols and education programmes are underway, particularly among the young but also among hunting groups. A project of photo "trapping" is enjoying success and another of radio-tracking individuals is being considered.
Apart from continuing scientific research, conservation
efforts currently centre on joining the two sub-populations of Spanish bears in order to create a viable population.
Conservation groups are working to enhance centuries-old corridors
used by the bears and are planting fruit trees and siting beehives to supplement their diet. There has been support for corridors from the EU LIFE programme
focussing on a corridor between the two subpopulations and a corridor out of Somiedo Natural Park
.
UNESCO
's proposed integration of existing Cantabrian biosphere reserve
s within a Gran Cantábrica super-reserve is also intended to help the bears expand their range via, for example, the comarca
of Os Ancares
.
Eurasian Brown Bear
The Eurasian brown bear is a subspecies of brown bear, found across northern Eurasia. The Eurasian brown bear is also known as the common brown bear, European brown bear and colloquially by many other names....
s (Ursus actos arctos) living in the Cantabrian Mountains
Cantabrian Mountains
The Cantabrian Mountains or Cantabrian Range are one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain.They extend for more than approximately 180 miles across northern Spain, from the western limit of the Pyrenees to the edges of the Galician Massif close to Galicia, along the coast of the...
of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Females weigh, on average, 85kg but can reach a weight of 150kg. Males average 115kg though can weigh as much as 200kg. The bear measures between 1.6 – 2m in length and between 0.90 -1m at shoulder height. In Spain, it is known as the Oso pardo cantábrico and, more locally, in Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
as Osu. It is timid and will avoid human contact whenever possible. The Cantabrian brown bear can live for around 25-30 years in the wild.
Evolution
Believed to have originated in Asia, the Brown bear (Ursus arctos, L. 1758) spread across the Northern hemisphere, colonising much of the Eurasian land mass as well as North America.Ursidae experts are continuing debate on the scientific classification of bears, of which there are currently eight recognised species although some experts recognise more subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
.
In the early 20th century, Cabrera (1914) considered the Cantabrian brown bear to be a distinct subspecies of European brown bear, Ursus arctos arctos, (in itself a classification currently under debate) and named it Ursus arctos pyrenaicus (Fischer, 1829), characterised by the yellow colouring of the points of its hair and by its black paws.
Since then however, phylogenetic
Phylogenetics
In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices...
and mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
research has led to the general scientific consensus that the European brown bear is not a separate subspecies. These recent studies have also found that the European populations fall into two major genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
lineages; an Eastern and a Western type.
The Cantabrian brown bear forms a part of the Western type, the effective barriers of the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
ice sheets of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
having directed the spread of the brown bear respectively, north and eastwards and south and westwards. A further distinction of two clades
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
has been made within the Western lineage following post-glacial recolonisation after the Last Glacial Maximum
Last Glacial Maximum
The Last Glacial Maximum refers to a period in the Earth's climate history when ice sheets were at their maximum extension, between 26,500 and 19,000–20,000 years ago, marking the peak of the last glacial period. During this time, vast ice sheets covered much of North America, northern Europe and...
(LGM); one consisting of the bear populations of Southern Scandinavia, the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
and Cantabrian Mountains
Cantabrian Mountains
The Cantabrian Mountains or Cantabrian Range are one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain.They extend for more than approximately 180 miles across northern Spain, from the western limit of the Pyrenees to the edges of the Galician Massif close to Galicia, along the coast of the...
of Northern Spain and the other consisting of the bear populations of the Southern Alps
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the island's western side...
, the Appennines, the Dinaric Alps
Dinaric Alps
The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides form a mountain chain in Southern Europe, spanning areas of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro....
, the Rila Mountains
Rila
Rila is a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria and the highest mountain range of Bulgaria and the Balkans, with its highest peak being Musala at 2,925 m...
, the Rhodope Mountains
Rhodope Mountains
The Rhodopes are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, with over 83% of its area in southern Bulgaria and the remainder in Greece. Its highest peak, Golyam Perelik , is the seventh highest Bulgarian mountain...
and the Stara Planina mountains.
This leaves the remnant population of Brown bears in the south of Sweden as the nearest relatives of the Cantabrian brown bear. The last indigenous, reproductive female in the Pyrenees, Canelle, was shot by a hunter in 2004. Brown bears from Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
are now being introduced to the Pyrenees.
Geographic distribution
Having once roamed most of the Iberian peninsulaIberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, since the first half of the 20th century the Cantabrian brown bear has been reduced to two isolated populations in the Cantabrian mountains of Northern Spain, primarily through human persecution (direct hunting) and by loss of habitat due to agriculture and construction. These two populations occupy a combined territory total of between 5,000 – 7,000km2 covering the provinces of, in the West, Asturias, León
León (province)
León is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.About one quarter of its population of 500,200 lives in the capital, León. The weather is cold and dry during the winter....
and Lugo (Galicia) and, in the East, Palencia
Palencia (province)
Palencia is a province of northern Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of León, Cantabria, Burgos, and Valladolid....
, León, Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
and Asturias. Latest population figures (2007) give between 100-110 bears in the Western enclave and between 20-30 in the Eastern. The two populations are separated by some 30-40km, a rupture which has been interpreted as the consequence of the development of communication infrastructures and human pressure. However, in 2008 genetic evidence was obtained from Redes Natural Park
Redes Natural Park
The Redes Natural Park is located in the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. Its total area is , split between two municipalities: Caso and Sobrescobio . It was declared a natural park in 1996.-Conservation:...
indicating recent interbreeding between the two populations.
In 2005 the presence of brown bears was reported near the Portuguese border (less than 20km) on the Trevinca
Trevinca
Peña Trevinca , also known as Trevinca, is a mountain in northern Spain. It is located at the confluence of the Montes de León and the Macizo Galaico on the boundary between the autonomous communities of Galicia and Castile and León...
range, based on footprints left on a big mud pad. It is very plausible that brown bears, nowadays, cross the border on some occasions.citation required
Protection status
The Cantabrian brown bear is catalogued on the Spanish Red List of Endangered SpeciesEndangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
as In Danger of Extinction
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
. In Europe it is listed in the European Mammal Assessment
European Protected Species
European Protected Species are species of plants and animals protected by law throughout the European Union. They are listed in Annexes II and IV of the European Habitats Directive....
as Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations....
. On an international level, it is listed on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species as of Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
due to the existence of relatively healthy populations of Brown bears elsewhere.
In Spain there is a maximum fine of €300,000 for killing a bear following a ban on hunting of the species in 1973.
Threats
In the smaller Eastern population, endogamyEndogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
has led to genetic complications including the higher probability of birth defects and a higher ratio of male to female births (more males than females). Added to this is the extreme philopatry
Philopatry
Broadly, philopatry is the behaviour of remaining in, or returning to, an individual's birthplace. More specifically, in ecology philopatry is the behaviour of elder offspring sharing the parental burden in the upbringing of their siblings, a classic example of kin selection...
usually exhibited by female Brown bears which leads to a very slow dispersal rate of reproductive females.
Another present threat comes in the form of the EU’s Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
(BSE) laws which are enforcing the removal of carcasses from the countryside. Though only a small part of the Cantabrian brown bear’s mainly vegetarian diet, carrion is very important for the building of fat reserves ready for the winter and, in spring, is a vital source of sustenance following the rigours of the winter. It is hoped that these disease containment measures will be revised following a meeting of concerned Spanish environmentalists with the European Commission in October 2007.
Recent mild winters, possibly due to climate change, have not been severe enough to necessitate hibernation.
Infrastructures
Man-made infrastructures such as roads and railways inhibit the population growth of the Cantabrian brown bear. The most recent human threat is a proposal to build a ski/winter leisure resort in the San GlorioSan Glorio
San Glorio is a mountain pass in the Cantabrian Mountains of Northern Spain. The pass reaches an altitude of 1609 metres along the national highway N621 which connects the city of León with Cantabria and which passes through Asturias....
pass, a site in the eastern region of the bears' habitat.
Poaching
Despite the fact that Spain’s ministry of the environment, in its Catálogo Nacional de Especies Amenazadas lists the brown bear as in danger of extinction in Spain, and the existence of heavy fines aimed at protecting the few remaining bears, the fact is hardly a year passes without yet another bear having been killed by human intervention. According to an article published December 2007 in the Spanish national daily El País, eight brown bears had been killed, either by poisoned bait or illegal hunting, in the Cantabrian MountainsCantabrian Mountains
The Cantabrian Mountains or Cantabrian Range are one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain.They extend for more than approximately 180 miles across northern Spain, from the western limit of the Pyrenees to the edges of the Galician Massif close to Galicia, along the coast of the...
since the year 2000.
Conservation
An "Action Plan for the Conservation of the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) in Europe", published in 2000, made specific recommendations for the management of bears in Spain.The Spanish Ministry of the Environment had previously drawn up a "Plan para la Recuperación del Oso Pardo" (Plan for the Recovery of the Brown Bear) with the intention of saving the species from extinction by coordinating conservation efforts across the autonomous communities in which it currently lives. Among the responsibilities of regional governments are various natural parks
Natural park (Spain)
In Spain, a natural park is a natural space protected for its biology, geology, or landscape, with ecological, aesthetic, educational, or scientific value whose preservation merits preferential attention on the part of public administration. The regulation of the activities that may occur there...
which provide suitable habitat for bears. Bears appear not to have a permanent presence in the only national park in the Cantabrian mountains, the Picos de Europe National Park
Picos de Europa National Park
The Picos de Europa National Park is a National Park in the Picos de Europa mountain range, in northern Spain. It is shared by the autonomous communities of Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León.-History:...
.
Bear habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is monitored by patrols and education programmes are underway, particularly among the young but also among hunting groups. A project of photo "trapping" is enjoying success and another of radio-tracking individuals is being considered.
Apart from continuing scientific research, conservation
Conservation ethic
Conservation is an ethic of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world: its, fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity. Secondary focus is on materials conservation and energy conservation, which are seen as important to...
efforts currently centre on joining the two sub-populations of Spanish bears in order to create a viable population.
Conservation groups are working to enhance centuries-old corridors
Wildlife corridor
A wildlife corridor or green corridor is an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities . This allows an exchange of individuals between populations, which may help prevent the negative effects of inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity that often occur within...
used by the bears and are planting fruit trees and siting beehives to supplement their diet. There has been support for corridors from the EU LIFE programme
The LIFE Programme
The LIFE Programme is the European Union’s funding instrument for the environment. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental policy and legislation by co-financing pilot or demonstration projects with European added value.LIFE...
focussing on a corridor between the two subpopulations and a corridor out of Somiedo Natural Park
Somiedo Natural Park
Somiedo Natural Park is a natural park located in the central area of the Cantabrian Mountains in the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain....
.
UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's proposed integration of existing Cantabrian biosphere reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
s within a Gran Cantábrica super-reserve is also intended to help the bears expand their range via, for example, the comarca
Comarca
A comarca is a traditional region or local administrative division found in parts of Spain, Portugal, Panama, Nicaragua, and Brazil. The term is derived from the term marca, meaning a "march, mark", plus the prefix co- meaning "together, jointly".The comarca is known in Aragonese as redolada and...
of Os Ancares
Os Ancares
Os Ancares is a comarca in the Galician Province of Lugo. The overall population of this local region is 13,888 .A range of mountains called in Galician the "Serra dos Ancares" forms the border with the neighbouring autonomous community of Castile and León where there is an area called Los...
.
See also
- Brown BearBrown BearThe brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
- International Bear AssociationInternational Bear AssociationThe International Association for Bear Research and Management , also known as the International Bear Association, is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization open to professional biologists, wildlife managers and others dedicated to the conservation of the world’s eight bear species.With over 550...
- Bear conservationBear conservationBear conservation refers to the management of bears and their habitat with a view to preventing their extinction.Bears face serious threats on many fronts, most of which are due to human activity...
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Threatened speciesThreatened speciesThreatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
External links
- Fauna Europaea (European Biodiversity Taxonomic Authority)
- Fundación Oso Pardo (Website of NGO)
- International Association for Bear Research and Management- IUCN Bear Specialist Group (English)
- Ursus International (English)
- Genetic Study of the Cantabrian brown bear by Fapas (Spanish)
- Spain's Ministry of the Environment (Spanish) - pdf
- Swedish web site - pdf
- http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0962-8452(19940322)255:1344%3C195:MDPPAC%3E2.0.CO;2-X Abstract of Mitochondrial DNA Polymorphism, Phylogeography, and Conservation Genetics of the Brown Bear Ursus arctos in Europe, by Pierre Taberlet, Jean Bouvet - The Royal Society Proceedings: Biological Sciences, Vol. 255, No. 1344 (Mar. 22, 1994), pp. 195-200
- Iberianature web site (English)