Large carnivores in Central Alps: the conservation of brown bear and wolf should consider the improvement of the “social habitat”.
Armanini M.a, Chirichella R.b, Bonavida A.a, Zibordi F. c, Mustoni A.a, Apollonio M.b a Adamello Brenta Nature Park b Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari c Istituto Oikos LIFE Ursus REINTRODUCTION Release zone: 1999-2002
10 bears (7 ♀ and 3 ♂)
Protected area Natura 2000
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 2 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY POPULATION SIZE and TREND 2002-2017 WITHOUT CUBS
Min number min. number Estimated number
Ne 43
bears
of of Ne
Num 20 23 + 11-13 cubs (2017) DISTRIBUTION Years
Good habitat suitability!!
Total area (24360 km2) Female area (1070 km2)
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 3 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY HUMAN ATTITUDE / SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE
2010 2003 1997
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 4 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY BACKGROUND 1. Predator attacks on humans are rare; 2. These events arouse a great media attention and can drive public perception accordingly.
General aim of the study: to evaluate bears behaviour in case of encounters and its driving causes in order to improve direct communication tools/subjects and reduce negative experiences.
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 5 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY Materials and Methods: structured interviews
2007-2009 2017-2018
1st phase 2nd phase
355 interviews 182 interviews
256 encounters 136 encounters
+ Attitude towards wolf
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 6 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY SIGHTINGS vs. ENCOUNTERS (529) vs (392) bear enter into a relationship with the man
The mean tolerance distance (i.e., the threshold distance above which the bear didn’t enter into a relationship with the man was about 50 meters but varied considerably (10-100 m) due to both environmental and intrinsic factors.
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 7 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY AIM 1: BEAR BEHAVIOR
To move away quickly 1 To move away slowly 2 N=392 To remain in place 3 To approach humans 4 Active reaction 5 Attack (6)
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 8 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY “Female bear attacks mushroom picker”
Dog Date Hour Bear ID Cubs Municipality presence 15/08/2014 10 AM Daniza 2 no Pinzolo 10/06/2015 5 PM KJ2 3 si Cadine 22/07/2017 7 PM KJ2 2 si Terlago
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 9 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY AIM 1: BEAR BEHAVIOR
7,9 0,8 To move away quickly 21,2 To move away slowly To remain in place To approach humans Active reaction 7,9 0,8 21,2 To move away quickly N=392 To move away slowly 41,1 To remain in place To approach humans 29,1 Active reaction
41,1 29,1
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 10 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY THE SHYNESS OF THE BEAR FOR HUMAN DECREASED
1) when females with cubs were involved, especially after hibernation period; 2) according to dog presence; 3) in open areas; 4) according to distance between man and bear.
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 11 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY AIM 2: HUMAN ATTITUDE POSITIVE
DON’T CARE DOXA 1997 NEGATIVE
“Waiting for a little bear…”
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 12 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY AIM 2: HUMAN ATTITUDE POSITIVE
DON’T CARE DOXA 1997 NEGATIVE “Ronzo, night of terror The bear returns and makes a bloodshed”
DOXA 2003
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 13 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY AIM 2: HUMAN ATTITUDE POSITIVE
DOXA DON’T CARE 1997
NEGATIVE
DOXA 2003
PNAB PNAB Not comparable!! 2007/09 2017/18
BEFORE ENCOUNTERS
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 14 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY BEFORE ENCOUNTERS
2007/09 2017/18
POSITIVE POSITIVE DON’T CARE DON’T CARE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE
AFTER ENCOUNTERS
22.7% ATTITUDE CHANGE 27.9%
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 44.8% MORE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE 84.2% 15 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY WOLF: THE SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE (STARTING POINT) NO 1) Presence awareness:
YES DON’T CARE
2) Attitude: POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
CURIOSITY FEAR 3) Possibility of sighting:
NO FEAR / INDIFFERENCE
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 16 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY WOLF: THE SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE (STARTING POINT)
“Dangerous wolves? They must be killed”
“Terrified by five wolves”
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 17 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY CONCLUSION: LARGE CARNIVORE SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE
Brown bear Brown High level Low level Wolf Low level 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 TODAY Large Carnivores conservation has to consider the improvement of the “social habitat”.
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 18 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY AIM 3: COMUNICATION STRATEGIES
1) to monitor human attitude;
2) to promote virtuous human behaviours based on scientific information (local data);
3) to promote more effective information and awareness campaign;
4) to provide information to modify regulations (e.g., dogs on a leash in protected areas).
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 19 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY SPECIAL THANKS TO… Dott. Luca Pedrotti Large Carnivore Division, Forest and Wildlife Service, Autonomous Province of Trento Dott. Alessandro Brugnoli and all the game wardens Trentino Hunters' Association All the persons being interviewed
…and thanks for your attention!
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 20 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY …and thanks for your attention!
Dott. Marco Armanini Adamello Brenta Nature Park Via Nazionale 24, Strembo (TN)- Italy T +39 0465806656 [email protected]
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 21 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY