re-introduction of bears

8/3/2019 Re-Introduction of Bears

1/5

Biodiversity Mnagement

Nick McCarthy

BSc Land Management in Agriculture

Bryan Kearney

20033011

8th March 2011

Bears into the Pyrenees Region


2/5

Re-Introduction Programmes in the Pyrenees Region:

Throughout France extending from Catalonia in the South right up through the regions of

Ariege and Bearn to the Basque in the North there has been increased conflict both among

lical communities and the wider economy as conservation campaigners try to re-introduce

bears back into the wild. These campaigners have been viciously tackled by local rural

populations as a direct result. This attrotious behaviour is having a negative impact on local

tourism as nationalist slogans daubed in white paint on Pyrenean mountain roadsides is now a

very common sight. In 2006 five slovenian bears comprising one male and four females were

released after the last of the native female brown bears was shot in 2004. As a consequence of

her death less than twenty bears remained in the two hundred male dominated mountain

range. A group of local farmers are the main culprits among protestors as they blame

omnivorous bears for attacking their livestock as a food source, and war has now been

declared by this group on conservationists and all other participiants of re-introduction

programmes. Shortly after the release of the bears in 2006 a biker discoveredvtwelve pots of

honey laden in glass, anti bera poison targeted primarily for the bears. This situation has now

become so serious that a pro-bear local bear mayor was taken hostage, and had death threats

issued against hes life. Along with this erathic behaviour a dead sheep was dumped on the

door step of a local professional, and a localconservation group experienced the same

behaviour. Since the re-introduction of bears less than 0.01% of the livestock heard have been

killed but farmers have been well compensated for these incidents even if bears were not

directly responsible for the attacks. Again a fund has been set up to support farmers in the

region to pay for shepherds and to purchase patous anti bear dogsof the great Pyrenees

breed. In addition to this helicopters are now available to take farmers to high altitudes in the

mountains where livestock are left unattended to graze in the summer months.

As farmers in the region face uncertainty due to difficulties the sector is facing Sylvie

Cardona secretary general of AVES believes farmers are using the bears as a scapegoat for

their own problems. As globalisation becomes more and more of an issue sheep farmers are

in turmoil due to competiition from New Zealand sheep farmers. Currently in Europe French

agriculture is one of the highest subsidised countries with large cereal producers and

agribusiness receiving most of these payments. Therefore the sheep sector must be at the

lower end of the agricultural industry. In the current economic climate there is an increasing

2


3/5

number of young people leaving rural areas in search of employment in the city, leaving

fewer people to take over and manage the land when the older generation pass away.

However since 1999 more than two million people have relocated to the countryside mainly

from the city, Holland, Germany and the UK in search of the peace and tranquility of the

french countryside. Conflicts like those in the Pyrenees region are been experienced all over

the world, take for instance in the the UK lobby groups claim badgers are the main vectors

responsible for transmitting the spread of tuberculosis among cattle. In the pyrenees region as

there are a small number of cattle are lost and there are no enclosures conservationists believe

the risk on humans fron attack by bears is as follows; you are more likely to be killed by a

domestic dog than a wolf and 374 times more likely to be killed by lightning than a bear. As

all over the world it is clear that people are mind set on a certain way of life and are unwilling

to adapt to changes in the countryside and wild, as a result this is an increasing problem for

conservationists trying to reclaim ecosystems and habitats to their original state. In the

nineteenth century the Pyrenees was home to bear taming, and their numbers declined due to

hunters killing the females and taking theis cubs. They were in fact a accepted as a natural

part of society. Today all over the world animals including bears are used as methaphors to

describe a range of moral positions and experiences in every day speech i.e. investors

mauled by a bear market come clawing after their brokers. As a direct result of these

frequently used methaphors this is having a negative impact on programmes of the re-

introduction of lost species.

As groups of farmers and rural people in society want to retain total control over their natural

habitats and ecosystems, they deen the re-introduction of native species as a threat and source

of competition which has created an illusion that by killing or eliminating wild animals is the

key solution. In context human beeings have never been accepting and willing to share their

space with others. Many believe that the re-introduction of wild species is done for

sentimental reasons rather than satisify the requirements and restoration of natural habitats

that once existed, and also how they contribute to global climate change.

Like many natural predators bears require a lot of room, in some cases up to two hundred

kilometers. The re-introduction of these omnivores by conservationists is a massive

comittment by conservationists, however if we dont intervene and restore nature quickly it

may be too late. Due to this factor choices and priorities have to be made promtly and this

requires the support of economys and societies as a whole. Simply there is not enough time

and money to save them all, but all efforts should be applied to make some significant

3


4/5

contribution. In the Scottish highlands, Alladales wilderness reserve manager believes that re-

introduction programmes must be applied to wider communities, but initiatives such as

increased education about the risks and improvements these species pose to improved

biodiversity through the regeneration of flora and fauna is necessary.

Cases for re-introduction programmes:

Wild species contribute significantly to the environment, for instance at Alladale wild boars

root out vast swathes of heather and bracken, and do not only prevent the natural regeneration

of other species of flora and fauna but also provide a natural habitat for the ticks that cause

lyme disease. Again the scottish wildlife trust and royal zoological society of Scotland claim

that wolves improve ecosystems by reducing the red deer population. It is currently estimated

that over five hundred thousand animals roam the scottish highlands, and this is close to the

lands natural carrying capacity. As a direct result this reduces the need for expensive culling

while also increasing plant and birdlife biodiversity. In the case of the Pyrenees region bears

can recycle cadavers through eating them including in spring, those animals killed by

avalanches in the winter and distributes through its faeces and the seeds of berries they eat.

In order to allow the re-introduction of new species to live peacefully and naturally people

will have to change the way they think, and just accept the right of these species to surviveand share the space in the landscape with other species. Research and evidence shows that

large carnivors have repeatedly shown their ability to live with humans, people just need to

find a way to live with them.

Arguements for concern:

In April 2006 Palouma and Franska were the first of four female slovenian bears to arrive in

the Pyrenees, and two females Hvala and Balou and Sarousse a male were to arrive shortly

after. These bears were fitted with tracking devices and farmers soon identified Franska as

been the main predator responsible for the death of a number of sheep. The Pyrenees national

park claimed she had been responsible for more than half of the ninety five attacks carried out

throughout 2006. Due to this a campaign begun to have her removed intensified, and as a

result she was killed in August of that year.

To conclude this debate personally from my own perspective i can see this how these re-

introduction programmes can create a negative impact among communities and the widereconomy. However these species will have to be re-introduced before they become

4


5/5

completely extinct. Therefore scientific research and eveience to support these programmes

will have to be painted into the minds of onset people, and programmes to support these

following re-introduction will have to be developed to ensure public safety etc. Other than

this i do not know what can be done if all fails, it is just a case of seeing what progressively

happens over time.

5

re-introduction of bears

Documents