Sight Magazine – Postcard: Special patrol to protect brown bears and wary villagers in Spain

Villabrino, Spain
Reuters

Spain’s brown bears, once on the verge of extinction, have recently wandered into mountain villages in the country’s north so frequently that the Castilla and León state government has sent out patrols for local residents to report the animals on the prowl. installed.

A patrol of nine rangers protects people and crops in the mining town of Villabrino and other surrounding areas in the nearby Palencia province, keeps the endangered Iberian brown bear safe and healthy, and ensures coexistence between humans and animals. We aim to make it possible. .

A female Iberian brown bear walks with a GPS collar around her neck in Villar de Santiago, Spain, on August 4, 2023.Photo: Reuters/Juan Medina

For the past three years, Reuter has been given exclusive access to patrols, accompanying night patrol officers on their nightly outings.

Daniel Pinto, operations manager of a special patrol monitoring Iberian brown bears, relies on signals from GPS collars to search for bears in Vega de Viejos, Spain, on November 2, 2023. Photo: Reuters/Juan Medina.

“Increasing bear populations lead to increased conflict.” [with humans]. ”

– Patrol Coordinator Daniel Pinto

Adult bears can weigh up to 150-250 kilograms and can reach up to 2 meters. They can live up to 30 years. Thirty years ago there were only 60 bears left in Spain, but today there are more than 400.

However, as the number of bears increases, the number of encounters with humans also increases. For some, bears are unwanted intruders, while others welcome them and the increased number of tourists they attract.

Local residents are advised to alert rangers and remain calm if they spot a bear.

Patrols need to act quickly to allay the fears of local residents. As soon as staff members receive her 24-hour call, they grab radios, rubber ball shotguns, and tracking devices and rush out the door.

Their mission is to deter bears from villages by firing warning shots, while following strict procedures.

“Increasing bear populations lead to increased conflict.” [with humans]” said patrol coordinator Daniel Pinto, adding that bears are increasingly approaching villages as they struggle to find enough food in the mountains.

On September 8, 2021, a female Iberian brown bear was captured for the first time in decades in Villarino, Spain. The animal lies under anesthesia while veterinarians carry out a medical examination as part of a special program for the monitoring and conservation of the species.Photo: Reuters/Juan Medina

Villager Angeles Olaro, 73, is one of those who finds the presence of bears difficult.

“It’s sad that we can’t go out for a quiet walk because we are elderly,” she lamented. She is struggling to keep bears out of her vegetable garden.

But while some locals feel unsafe and worry about their crops, the patrols have proven to be a boon for the Iberian brown bear population, which remains an endangered species in the Cantabrian Islands. Local residents receive income from tourists who visit the area to spot endangered brown bears. Mountain.

Thanks to increased awareness, strong monitoring and compliance with conservation regulations, the Iberian brown bear population is increasing.

Historically, brown bears roamed much of the Iberian Peninsula, but hunting and habitat loss have had a major impact on brown bears. It was given protected status in 1973, although hunting was allowed to continue.

We rely on readers like you to fund Sight’s work. Become a financial supporter today!

Patrols also want to better understand bear behavior. To this end, in 2021 a team of veterinarians, biologists, and mountain rangers will develop a new satellite system to monitor bears and an innovative remote-controlled system that allows bears to be captured without trapping other species. Developed a cage.

Once the bear is captured, it will be anesthetized and a GPS collar will be placed around its neck to make it easier to find the bear in the future. Rangers have so far captured 12 bears, prevented them from eating fruits and vegetables from crops and gardens, and released them far from villages.

Environmental officers from Cervera de Pisuerga and veterinarians from the Castilla and León state government monitor the mountains where Iberian brown bears live in Valle de Pineda, Spain, on May 18, 2022.Photo: Reuters/Juan Medina

Once locals know that bears are far away, they feel reassured that they won’t encounter them.

“The objective is to seek solutions to conservation challenges faced by bears, primarily in urban environments,” said David Cubero, coordinator of the Brown Bear Capture and Radio Tagging Program.

“What we want is to be able to constantly monitor in real time, act quickly, and constantly improve bear-human coexistence.”