Tripoint Brown Bear
with EuroNatur Foundation

Critical Issues

The most important species for biodiversity are the umbrella species, since by protecting them we protect many other species that share their same habitat. Most key species are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List when they are threatened or endangered and, therefore, their protection extends to the conservation of their ecosystem.

The Brown Bear s in a critical state due to its small population, isolation and ongoing threats. . Bear populations in Europe remain threatened and under pressure due to human-induced mortality, habitat loss and fragmentation due to infrastructure development, disturbance and lack of implementation of defined and well-targeted management strategies.

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Area of Intervention

 

The north-western and south-eastern parts of the population are found in the EU states Slovenia, Croatia and Greece, but the central part of the bear population is found in 6 non-EU countries Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Albania. We start with targeted actions for the conservation of the Dinaric-Pindos bear between Albania, North Macedonia and Greece, to continue along the other countries involved in the ecological corridor.

Bären im Wasser©Heinz Lehmann
Bären im Wasser ©Heinz Lehmann
David Oberholzer
© David Oberholzer
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© EuroNatur

Intervention

 

Project aimed at the conservation of the Dinaric-Pindos Brown Bear (umbrella species in the IUCN red-list) and the reconnection of fragmented habitats in the cross-border area between Albania, North Macedonia and Greece.

The project is located exactly along the European Green Belt which reconnects Finland with Greece-Turkey, passing through Germany, and represents an important first step towards achieving the ambitious objective of protecting the entire population of the Dinaric-Pindos brown bear which it extends across 9 countries (more than any other 10 in Europe). The total population size is estimated at approximately 3,300 bears (of which approximately 40% live in non-EU countries). The project was reported by the official website of the European Green Belt, at this address.

As the first component for the protection of the Dinaric-Pindos brown bear population, we have therefore decided to implement this 8-month pilot project, from April 2018 until the end of 2019, in Albania, North Macedonia and Greece, in order to to create a solid basis for subsequent transboundary management of the species.

The main aims of this project are:

  • Ensure the necessary support for brown bear management in the cross-border project region in Albania, Greece and North Macedonia from relevant authorities and key stakeholdersÑà
  • Identify hotspots of current and future habitat fragmentation and develop recommendations for their mitigation (creation of protected areas, connectivity corridors and crossing structures), the implementation of which can then be continued by follow-up projects based on cooperation between stakeholders created with the ongoing project;
  • Create the missing structures to ensure coexistence between bears and humans, in particular population monitoring teams and bear emergency teams.

Discover More
www.euronatur.org/en/what-we-do/news/new-brown-bear-project-just-started

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Our Partner

 

EuroNatur Foundation (DE), 50% as co-funder. It is a German foundation that works to preserve European nature in its beauty and diversity, fighting for the protection of wildlife and its habitats, and for ecologically sustainable development.

In Albania, the project will be implemented with the support of the local NGO Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA) in the core and transboundary distribution areas of brown bears shared with North Macedonia and Greece.

In North Macedonia, project activities will focus on the cross-border areas between the three countries with permanent bear presence. WWF Adria will support the local NGO Macedonian Ecological Society in implementing North Macedonia's policy.

In Greece, the project implementation area will include parts of the brown bear permanent area in the regional units of Florina, Kastoria, Ioannina and Thesprotia, with a focus on the border area with North Macedonia and Albania. Local support is supported by the NGO Callisto.

 

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Project Data

 

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DURATION

18 months starting from 01.04.2022
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OUR INVESTMENT

€232,453.10 (of which €116,226.55 -  50% from the Fondazione Capellino)