Regione Abruzzo

	A. Carbone, R.Isotti - P.N.A.L.M.Archive

The Marsican Brown Bear is a hugely important endemic species of the Central Apennines, with a number of animals in Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. The bear is a highly sensitive creature because of its biological, ethological and ecological characteristics. It needs wide spaces, so it can move easily from one place to another, and abundant food as it does not assimilate its main sustenance, vegetables very well. The demographic decrease means only a few dozen of them are left. Although some animals were born, the population had a high mortality because of illegal killings, especially during the 70s and 80s.

The bear has never been a direct danger for men, but it has often damaged herds, cultivations and beehives. The majority of illegal killing, in particular during the last 20 years, has not been intentional, but has been instead mainly connected to hunting in unprotected areas and to the use of illegal poisons.

A bear’s behaviour

The compatibility of the bear with non-lethal man activities such as tourism, street traffic, yards and resources extraction is not well understood, but there are good indications to conclude that bears tend to avoid human beings; they are strongly annoyed by hunting and disturbed by invasive activities. There are exceptions, such as those animals who have got used to human beings and move into inhabited areas looking for food. However, these are unnatural behaviours connected with territory management.

Because of the little data available, the Territorial Office for Biodiversity, part of the State Forestall Body in Castel di Sangro, started a LIFE-Nature Programme. This was an important monitoring action for the species. Also the Sirente Velino Regional Park, with regional co-financing, carried out projects, also through LIFE-Nature Programme, to improve the Park areas where the bear lives. In particular, man’s presence has been contained, food has been increased, and new, more sustainable, forestall management procedures have been introduced. All these actions have been supported by information and awareness raising campaigns among local populations.

Collecting information

As scientific knowledge on the Marsican Brown Bear population is minimal, a wide research programme with the objective to collect essential data and a protection campaign has been started recently to counter this. It is called PATOM (Action Plan for the Protection of the Marsican Bear). Regione Abruzzo will coordinate PATOM actions for monitoring, protection and management of the Marsican Brown Bear, supported by the advice of a coordination group of different stakeholders.

The decision to start this programme has come about because there has been a realisation that the actions historically in the management of the territory have been fragmented and negative for the species’ protection. The Programme aims at coordinating plans, projects and actions taken by different subjects. Its protocol has been signed by the Environmental Ministry, La Sapienza University in Rome, the National Institute for Wild Life, Forestall Body, Regione Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise, interested National and Regional Parks, and by the provinces and municipalities involved.

In particular, the PATOM’s objective is to coordinate the following actions:

• Monitoring, genetic study and information sharing;

• Criteria and procedures for payout and damages prevention;

• Criteria and procedures for emergencies;

• Training of the workers;

• Awareness raising activities;

• Cartographies and zoning of the areas;

• Spotting of the areas bordering with the parks according to art. 32, law 394/91 for the protection of the bear;

• Links with ongoing national initiatives such as those for the protection of the Alpine bear, as a starting point for the National Action Plan to protect the species;

• Specific protection action plans which include the distribution of institutional competences and foreseen costs;

• Protection norms and constraints to be included in the national, regional and local legislation as well as in the territorial management plans; and

• International relationships and access to European Union funds.

The Plan foresees a long-term work programme, agreed among all those who signed the protocol, and it will be revised every five years and every time there is a need to make any changes. In the international context, it is necessary to promote and develop both initiatives at European level for the protection of Brown Bear, and to take actions in collaboration with the Bear Specialist Group (IUNC) and with the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA).

More initiatives like this, worldwide, are needed to preserve Europe’s historical heritage, and redress the damage caused by mankind to date. The impacts of human behaviour are many, and it is only through research that we can find out the extent of the problems. It is through partnerships across society that we can find the solutions.

W: www.regione.abruzzo.it