STATUS AND CONSERVATION MEASURES OF BROWN BEARS (URSUS ARCTOS L.) EASTERN BALKAN POPULATION

Abstract

The brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) is a part of the genetically unique population of the species on the Balkan Peninsula and has key importance for the balance of local ecosystems, which makes the theme about the management of the species exceptionally important. Using overview analysis and meta-analysis to compare data from the public sources and official species monitoring, this work has goal to determine the effectiveness of the measures applied for the protection of the species and to contribute valuable and useful information about the following steps in the management of the brown bear. Accentuation is placed on the Eastern Balkan population, represented in Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia. Bulgaria is one of the Balkan countries with the strictest and long-term ambitious policy on brown bear management. Despite that, in the last 25 years, there have been no records of a sustained increase in population in the country. Disturbance, poaching, conflicts with humans, segmentation, prejudices, and insufficient awareness, depopulation of populated places, cause a chaotic decrease in the numbers of specimens and are the reason for the appearance of so-called “problem bears”. The phenomenon of disturbance of the natural hibernation of female bears by climate change is difficult to control and may be the potential main reason for the extinction of the species in the future, caused by the gradual aging of the population. Future complex measures at the supranational level and permanent campaigns to promote the problems and the ecological significance of brown bears are indicated as recommended.