Recovery Plans for Brown Bear Conservation in the Cantabrian
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RECOVERYPLANS FOR BROWNBEAR CONSERVATIONIN THE CANTABRIAN MOUNTAINS,SPAIN G. PALOMERO,Departamento de Geografia,Urbanismo y Ordenaci6ndel Terrritorio,Universidad de Cantabria,E-39005- Santander,Spain M. AYMERICH,Servicio de Vida Silvestre, Instituto para la Conservaci6n de la Naturaleza, Gran Via de San Francisco 35, E- 28071-Madrid,Spain A. CALLEJO,Servicio de Medio Ambiente Natural, Xunta de Galicia, C/ Juan Montes 3-1?, E-27001-Lugo, Spain J.F. GARCIA-GAONA,Servicio de Medio Natural, Consejeria de Medio Ambiente y Urbanismo, Principado de Asturias, E-33071- Oviedo, Spain J. RASINES, Servicio de Montes, Caza y Conservaci6n de la Naturaleza, Consejeria de Agricultura, Ganaderia y Pesca, Diputaci6nRegional de Cantabria,E-39071-Santander, Spain Abstract: The conservationproblems of brownbears (Ursus arctos) in the CantabrianMountains of Spain include illegal huntingand habitatloss. Recovery Plans recommend increasing the number of guards in key areas, declaring more Parks and Reserves, and evaluating environmental impacts. Even though their applicationis still minimal, Recovery Plans are to date the best technical and legal instrumentin existence for brown bear preservationin Spain. Int. Conf. Bear Res. and Manage. 9(2):13-17 Key words: brown bear, CantabrianMountains, conservation, recovery plans, Spain, Ursus arctos. In the CantabrianMountains in northwestSpain, 70- 90 brownbears live in 2 apparentlyunconnected popula- tions (Fig. 1). One has 3 times as many bears than the other(Palomero et al. 1993a), and each covers 2,500 km2 (Naves andPalomero 1993, Palomeroet al. 1993b). They are situated in 4 Autonomous Regions (Fig. 1) whose governmentsare empowered to manage both the bears and their habitats. Bears were legally huntedin Spain until 1967, when a temporaryban was introduced. This ban became perma- nent when brownbears were declareda protectedspecies in 1993. They are currentlylisted as endangeredin the National catalogue of threatenedspecies establishedby Royal Decree 439 on 30 March, 1990. This listing le- gally obligates the AutonomousRegions to develop Re- covery Plans in accordance with law 4/1989 on the Fig. 1. Brown bear distribution and present and future Conservationof NaturalAreas and Wildlife. We review protected areas in the CantabrianMountains, Spain, 1992. the main conservation problems facing the Cantabrian brown bear and describe and analyze the conservation between 1981 and 1990 in the western populationand 6 strategycurrently being developed for the species. definite and 6 probablebear deaths in the easternpopula- tion for the same period. Illegal killing results not from dissatisfactionwith compensationpolicies, but from the CONSERVATIONPROBLEMS desire for a rare, illegal hunting trophy and from traps Differentauthors consider poaching and habitatdegra- and bait meant for other animals. dationas the maincauses for the decline of the Cantabrian Fewer people in mountain areas, a decrease in cattle brown bear population (Purroy and Clevenger 1991, rearing and an end to former agriculturalactivities has Palomeroet al. 1993a). Although it is difficult to accu- meant less disturbancein mountainousareas and even ratelyestimate damage from illegal hunting,this damage recolonizationof former naturalareas for bears. How- appearsto be excessive. Brafiaet al. (1982) cited 20-25 ever, offsettingthese positive developmentsfor bears are deathsdue to illegal huntingin the CantabrianMountains increased leisure pursuits in the countryside and in- between 1979 and 1981. Palomero et al. (1993a) pro- creased building, forestry and mining activities that do vided data on 21 definite and 12 probable bear deaths not consider the ecological needs of the bear. Often 14 Int. Conf. Bear Res. and Manage. 9(2) 1997 these human activities lead to loss of or damage to lowing a later link between the two current popula- favorable bear habitat. tions in the Cantabrian Mountains and guaranteeing Even if the most pressing conservationproblems were their genetic and demographicviability" (Table 1). to disappear,the viability of small populationsis intrin- The recovery plans attemptto reestablishthe popula- sically threatened(Shaffer 1981). Shaffer (1983) sug- tion distributionthat brown bears occupied in the 17th gested extinctiontimes of 19, 44, and 114 years for bear and 18th centuries before the populationseparation oc- populations of 10, 20, and 50 individuals,respectively. curred(Nores 1988). This approachmeans thatthe scope Knightand Eberhardt(1985) statedthat 30-70 individu- of the plans includes not only the current,but also the als in 2,500-7,400 km2 have a 95% possibility of ex- potentialpopulation area at least concerninghabitat im- tinctionin <100 years. Allendorfet al. (1986) estimated pacts. that for genetic reasons a population <125-250 is un- Because the primarygoal of the plans is to reduce the likely to survive long term. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife risk of extinction, they are in effect indefinitely until Service (1993:27) stated that "little reliance for long- that goal is achieved. Regularrevisions allow for flex- term viability can be placed on isolated populations of ibility to remedy problems that arise over such a long 50-90 grizzly bears." Censuses and other information time period. on the CantabrianMountains populations put their num- bers in this range (Palomero et al. 1993a). However, Objectives,Directives, and Measures their regularannual reproduction,albeit low, allows for The plans include very specific proposals, and more optimism provided negative factors are removed. general proposalsthat will be furtherdeveloped later or used as directives. The series of directives and mea- sures attemptto fulfill the following operationalobjec- RECOVERYPLAN DEVELOPMENT tives: 1. To establish and implement effective measuresfor Backgroundand Approval the direct protectionof the species. Law 4/1989 on the Conservation of Natural Areas 2. To develop and implementprograms and activities and Wildlife significantly changed the conservation that effectively contributeto the conservationand strategy for endangered species in Spain. Instead of restorationof brown bear habitat. that merely banning hunting and possessing live and dead 3. To establish a supplementaryfeeding program in extreme condi- specimens, it proactively required the development ensures the availabilityof food of plans to protect species and their habitats. Gov- tions. ernments of the Autonomous Regions were respon- 4. To compensate damage claims as quickly and ef- sible for this implementation. fectively as possible. There was sufficient scientific information on the 5. To heightenthe awarenessof differentsocial groups Cantabrian brown bear to allow immediate prepara- to the problems of the brown bear and the need tion of such plans. The 4 Autonomous Regions in the for its conservation. CantabrianMountains drafted and approvedtheir respec- 6. To increase knowledge of the species and its habi- measures can be refined tive recovery plans, Cantabriain 1989, Castilla y Le6n tats so that conservation in 1990, Asturias in 1991, and Galicia in 1992. The and improved. information on contents of the 4 recovery plans are similar as they deal 7. To collect continuous, up-to-date with similarproblems. They were jointly draftedby Au- brown bear demographics. of each differ accord- tonomous Regions with bears within their boundaries The specific measures plan on the basis of technical proposals made by the same ing to the situation in each Autonomous Region. to team of researchersand managers. However, they fall into similar groups according the operational objectives (Table 1). Scope and Duration The first group of measures deals with eradicating with from increas- The goal of a recovery plan is to restore and main- illegal hunting proposals ranging number of to an of 1 for ev- tain a species as a viable component of a given eco- ing the guards average ha to to discredit the system. For the Cantabrianbrown bear, the specific ery 2,500-3,000 campaigns hunters. Other measures include Recovery Plan goal is "to increase the number of in- behavior of illegal dividuals in order to achieve a sufficiently large and continuous training for existing rangers, creating spe- and bear stable population in the current distribution area al- cialized patrols, criminalizing poaching. RECOVERYPLANS FOR BROWN BEARS IN SPAIN * Palomero et al. 15 Table 1. Organizationof recovery plans for brown bear in the CantabrianAutonomous Communities, 1992. UltimateObjective Directives Measures Examples To ensure Cantabrianbrown bear A. Protect Bears 1. Eradicateillegal hunting Increase guards conservationby means of population Create specialized mobile guard units and range increase to join the 2 Equipment(vehicles, radios, etc.) existing populations Continuous guard training courses Collaborationwith Civil Guard Apply maximum penalties Prison sentences for illegal hunting Campaign against illegal hunting 2. Preserve genetic purity B. Conserve and restore habitat 3. Extend network of parks and reserves 4. Environmentalimpact studies 5. Develop forest policy 6. Manage game resources 7. Control eco-tourism 8. Control unpaved road use C. Provide supplementary food during shortage 9. Supplementfood supply D. Compensatefor bear damage 10. Damage compensation Compensatefor bear damage Compensatefor damage by other species E. Educate public 11. Develop public education program E Research 12. Biological 13. Ecological G. Collect information 14. Monitor population Census breeding females annually Monitor signs