The bear population in the Pyrenees continues to consolidate and, according to the balance of the Brown Bear Cross-Border Monitoring Group (GSTOP), in 2022 the presence of a minimum of 76 specimens was confirmed, a figure slightly higher than the 70 to 74 bears detected in this mountain range in 2021.
The data reviewed by the GASTOP technicians, in which representatives of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, the Corps of Rural Agents, the Conselh Generau d'Aran and the governments of Andorra and France, Aragon and Navarra participate, indicate that in 2021 the bear population in the Pyrenees was between 68 and 69 specimens.
With regard to specimens that are presumed dead or missing during the year 2022, the figure is six. In this count of casualties, the specimens of which there is evidence of death or there has been no indication for two years are counted.
Regarding the sex of the population identified and accounted for in 2022, there are 39 females and 35 males (plus two specimens of unidentified sex until now). Of the 76 specimens, 39 (51.5%) are adults, 24 (31.5%) are subadults and 13 (17%) are pups of the year. Of the 13 pups, there are 6 females, 5 males and 2 of unidentified sex.
The geographical area of presence of the brown bear in the Pyrenees covers an area of 5,700 km₂ (800 less than in 2021 and 2,500 less than in 2020).
Regarding the number of births, a total of 13 new offspring from eight different females have been registered. This is the third highest figure recorded after 2020 and 2021 (with 9 reproductions). The females that have reproduced are those known by these names:
- Bambou (with 2 puppies): Aran voucher
- Aran (2): valley of Aran
- Boavi (1): high Pallars Sobirà
- Plume (1): high Pallars Sobirà and Francia
- Callisto (1): France
- Gaia (2): France
- Reglisse (2): France
- New18-11 (2): France
The female New18-11 has reproduced in 2022 for the first time.
The data analyzed also show that the pups born correspond to six different males, "which means that an important exchange of genetic information is beginning to take place between the reproductive individuals of the population," the technicians of this organization emphasize.
Experts estimate that between 1996 and 2022, a total of 128 bear cubs, from 71 litters, were born in the Pyrenees.
With regard to specimens that are presumed dead or missing during the year 2022, the figure is six. In this count of casualties, the specimens of which there is evidence of death or there has been no indication for two years are counted.
Of 16 pups born in 2021, 11 (68.75%) have survived in the first year and have been detected during 2022.
Regarding the monitoring of the species in Catalonia and in the Aran Valley, during the year 2022, 1,146 indications of bears have been collected, corresponding to 770 different contacts. The most important data are the hair samples (440), the automatic photo (413) and the collected feces (170). There have also been 37 direct visual observations. Throughout the Pyrenees, on both sides, a total of 2,584 indications or traces have been detected.
In addition, more than 760 samples for genetic identification have been analyzed in the laboratories of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Autonomous University of Barcelona and in the French Antagène laboratory.
In Catalonia, 38 brown bear specimens have been detected in the Aran Valley, Pallars Sobirà and Alta Ribagorça. There is still evidence of the females Caramellita and Bambou, born in 2002 and 2007, respectively, and other younger females. In addition, the presence of three males in Alta Ribagorça is confirmed: Sardo, New20-03 and New20-02.
Thus, the final count of the Catalan and Aranese part is 21 adults, 11 subadults and 6 cubs of the year, with 20 males, 17 females and 1 cub whose sex has not yet been determined.
The GSTOP agreed to make a change in the nomenclature of the bears, since currently there are many animals that have two laboratory codes and this is confusing. From now on, all the specimens that are part of or have been part of the current Pyrenean population since 1996 have a code made up of a letter (M, F or D, male, female or unknown) and a three-digit number. depending on their age and seniority. For example, the female Ziva, the first bear released in 1996, is F001 and a male cub born in 2020 is M138.
