In most European countries the outlook for bears is not good. Once they were found wherever forests thrived - and that was in most parts of Europe. Forest clearance resulted in the bears being forced to withdraw further and further. As early as the Middle Ages the bears' habitats were limited to more or less inaccessible mountain ranges with sufficient forest cover, but even there the Brown bear was eventually hunted down without mercy.
Bears are generally shy creatures. They avoid humans and often get out of their way before they have even been detected. Females with cubs are particularly vigilant. The best regions for bears in Europe are steep, rocky forest sites as people rarely venture there. In the Abruzzi National Park south of Rome there are about 70 bears. There are no records of humans ever having been attacked by bears in that area. The same is true for the Spanish bear regions in Cantabria and Asturia where according to estimates there is a total of between 60 and 80 bears to be found.
The EuroNatur initiative "Bear protection in Europe" strives to protect the last remaining bears and their habitats. The main objective is to effectively protect the few remaining viable, intact populations and enable genetic exchange between the scattered groups by securing migration corridors. A further aim is to allow bears to return to suitable habitats. We try to pave the way for them by examining the associated problems and solutions and by promoting an acceptance of their presence amongst local people and the authorities. The need for these preparations is the more urgent the longer an area has been 'free of bears'.
| Albania | 250 |
| Austria | 12-20 |
| Bulgaria | 700 |
| Croatia | 600-800 |
| Finland | 450-600 |
| France | 10-20 |
| Greece | 110-130 |
| Italy | 50-60 |
| Macedonia | 90 |
| Norway | 30 |
| Poland | 80 |
| Romania | 5500 |
| Slovakia | 700 |
| Slovenia | 500-800 |
| Spain | 150 |
| Sweden | 1000 |
Bears travel far and do not care about national borders. Therefore the above figures should be taken as mere estimates. The data relate to different years and are thus not necessarily comparable. Last update August 2006