Scandinavian Brown Bears: Hiders, Not Fighters
Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - 06:10
in Biology & Nature
Humans are hardwired to find carnivores threatening, and negative attitudes toward these species can pose "a special challenge to managers" looking to conserve them. This has certainly been true in Scandinavia, where the beleaguered Scandinavian brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) is making a comeback from the brink of extinction. Although the brown bear population had dipped to a mere ~130 individuals by 1930, there are now thought to be about 3,500 living in Sweden and Norway, where the species is protected. Unfortunately, improvements in numbers have not been matched by improvements in habitat, and the bears are increasingly likely to bump into humans. read more