The bear population has continued to grow steadily in the French and Spanish Pyrenees, as it has every year since 1996, when reintroduction measures first began. In 2024, at least 96 bears were detected across the entire range, an increase of 11% compared to 2023, announced the Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB) in its annual report published Thursday, April 3.

"Of these 96 individuals, 46% were detected only in France, 26% in Spain or Andorra, and 28% on both sides of the border," said Julien Steinmetz, head of the OFB's Brown Bear Network. Since not all animals were systematically detected through hair and feces samples, footprints, or photo and video captures, and accounting for those that have died, the population is estimated at 104 individuals, with a "credibility interval" between 97 and 123 individuals. Network members collected 2,022 bear signs on the French side and 1,571 on the Spanish and Andorran sides, over a total area of 7,200 square kilometers.

Specifically, it appears that at least 13 females gave birth in 2024, resulting in a minimum of 22 cubs, a record since data collection began in 2006. "However, low genetic diversity could potentially alter this dynamic in future years," said Steinmetz. Research is currently underway to assess the effects of inbreeding on the bear's demography.

You have 66.65% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.