Bears continue to inhabit Europe, primarily the brown bear (Ursus arctos), which has a widespread but fragmented distribution. While their historical range once covered nearly all of Europe, human expansion significantly altered their presence. Despite past declines, conservation efforts have allowed populations to persist and recover in some areas.
European Bear Species
The brown bear is the primary bear species present in Europe. This large carnivore’s fur ranges from yellowish-brown to dark brown or black. Adult males typically weigh between 350 and 500 kg, sometimes reaching up to 650 kg, and lengths of nearly 2.5 meters, while females are smaller, weighing 150 to 300 kg. Brown bears have a robust bone structure, a round head, small ears, and large paws with non-retractable claws up to 10 cm long.
Brown bears are omnivores, adapting their diet to seasonal availability. Their diet primarily consists of plant material like fruits, berries, nuts, roots, and seeds. They also consume insects, fish, small mammals, and carrion. While other bear species, such as the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus), once roamed Europe but are now extinct, the brown bear is the focus of current conservation efforts.
Where Bears Roam in Europe
Scandinavia hosts a significant brown bear population, with approximately 2,800 bears in Sweden, 1,600 in Finland, and 100 in Norway. These northern populations connect to the larger bear population in European Russia, totaling around 36,000 individuals.
Eastern and Southeastern Europe contain some of the continent’s largest brown bear populations outside of Russia. Romania hosts 6,000 to 7,000 bears, predominantly in the Carpathian Mountains. Slovakia has an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 individuals. The Dinaric-Pindos population, spanning Slovenia (1,100), Croatia (1,200), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, and Greece, numbers around 2,500 to 3,000.
Smaller, more isolated populations exist in Western and Southern Europe. The Pyrenees, shared by Spain and France, have a growing population of at least 70 bears. Spain’s Cantabrian Mountains support around 250 individuals across two subpopulations. In Italy, fragmented groups total approximately 100 bears in regions like Abruzzo, South Tyrol, and Trentino, including 40 to 60 Marsican brown bears in the Apennine Mountains. Switzerland, where native bears disappeared in 1904, now sees occasional wanderers from Italy.
The Future of European Bears
The brown bear’s presence in Europe represents a conservation success, with an estimated total of 17,000 individuals outside Russia. Challenges persist for these populations. Habitat fragmentation, caused by expanding human infrastructure like roads, isolates bear groups and limits their movement, hindering genetic exchange and recovery. Human-wildlife conflict, often from bears impacting livestock or agriculture, also poses a threat. Poaching and illegal shooting remain concerns in some regions, despite legal protections.
Conservation efforts have aided the brown bear’s recovery. Protected areas, reintroduction programs, and strict legal protections under directives like the EU Habitats Directive contribute to their survival. Countries like Sweden and Norway have implemented management policies that helped their bear populations increase from historical lows. The overall trend indicates stable or increasing bear numbers across Europe. Continued efforts to manage human-bear interactions and maintain habitat connectivity are needed for the long-term future of European bears.