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Preliminary Results of the First Transplantation of Brown Bears in the French Pyrenees

Preliminary Results of the First Transplantation of Brown Bears in the French Pyrenees

Within the framework of a European program of brown bear (Ursus arctos) restoration, 2 adult female brown bears were captured in May and June of 1996 in Medved Reserve, Slovenia, and translocated to the central Pyrenees, France. The 2 females (Ziva and Mellba) were fitted with radiotransmitters and monitored from release to den entrance. After release from the same site, the bears were highly mobile and were located up to 55 km (Ziva) and 52 km (Mellba) from the release site. Their home ranges encompassed 1,233 km2 (Ziva) and 796 km2 (Mellba) during this period. The 2 females used their home range in a multimodal fashion with areas of concentrated utilization. Ziva and Mellba denned on 27 and 23 November 1996 and emerged on 19 and 4 April 1997, respectively. Denning sites were near the release site. These preliminary results suggest that translocation can be an effective technique to restore bear populations or to save small bear populations.

  • Author(s) P. Y. Quenette and M. Alonso and L. Chayron and P. Cluzel and E. Dubarry and D. Dubreuil and S. Palazon and M. Pomarol
  • Volume 12
  • Issue
  • Pages 115-120
  • Publication Date 1 January 2001
  • DOI
  • File Size 275.47 KB
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