Each day many species are at the brink of extinction as their habitats continue to shrink and the latest to join the endangered list is the brown bears. There number are showing a steep decline and today only 38 survive in Europe’s Alps mountain region.
The present population of brown bear is unable to ensure its survival and has alarmed the environmentalists. The truth is that the species is very likely to survive if present conditions prevail.
WWF spokeswoman Claudia Mohl said:
We don’t know of a single bear in Germany any more.
Brown bears often called grizzly bears are officially protected species in the European Union but now their survival is threatened by the habitat destruction from economic development throughout the Alpine mountain region.
In June 2006 the first bear, Bruno in Bavaria was shot dead by a German hunter when it accidentally came close to populated areas killing several sheep and chickens. There was a huge outcry at the shooting in Italy from where the bear had wandered into Germany via Austria and the reason that brown bears have become a rare sight in Europe’s main mountain region. Many animal lovers had said that the bear could have been given sedatives or removed to a different place.
Later on, in August 2006, Italian authorities fitted Bruno’s mother with a satellite tracking device in order to keep an eye over her activities and to chase away from humans if necessary without harming her. This method can be used with other bears without harming them physically.
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Source: Reuters