Some species of bear
A struggle for territories between bear species has begun in the Far North, due to the pressure of human activities on the animal. In 2006, a Canadian hunter shot the first "pizzly", a white hybrid spotted with dark spots, resulting from unprecedented inter-species breeding between a polar bear and a grizzly, two species that normally live hundreds of kilometers away. one from the other. According to the authors of the same study, the increase in the human population and outdoor activities increases the number of encounters and therefore attacks (86% of fatal attacks occurred after 1960) A female bear was killed by a hunter on Saturday in Ariège, in the Pyrenees, during a hunt. According to the comments reported by the hunters, the bear which was accompanied by its cubs would have attacked and injured the legs of the septuagenarian, who would then have shot the animal. The man was injured in the legs and taken to hospital. This sad event revives the debate between pro and anti-bear on the presence of the plantigrade in the Pyrenees. If the opponents consider it dangerous, the associations for the protection of biodiversity emphasize the rarity of this type of attack.
Natives of Nunavut on the rise
A scientific consensus was questioned by the indigenous populations of Nunavut, in the great Canadian north. Indeed, according to the Inuit, the population of polar bears is indeed increasing, even threatening the safety of the inhabitants. As proof: two Inuit were killed by polar bears in the summer of 2018. The government is also urging the authorities and experts in a report to take into consideration the knowledge of indigenous peoples about polar bears and to integrate them into the new public policy measures. Indigenous knowledge that would often lead to conclusions different from those drawn by scientists. The report suggests the hypothesis that the threshold of human-bear coexistence could be exceeded.
History of the brown bear in France
In 1995, France had a relict brown bear population of five individuals in the western Pyrenees. The capture was in Slovenia and the release of two females in 1996 and a male in 1997 as part of the reintroduction program was in the central Pyrenees, the brown bear was doomed to certain extinction. But in 1997 and 2004, two female bears, Mellba of Slovenian origin and Cannelle the last female bear of Pyrenean stock, were killed by hunters. The reintroduction made it possible to raise the population to about fifteen individuals in 2005 but cannot be considered viable in the long term, because of too low a number of females, and problems of consanguinity In reduction since Roman times, the brown bear was still present around the year one thousand in all the French mountain forests but the habitat areas were reduced in the 16th century to the most inaccessible parts of the Vosges, the Jura, the Massif central, the Alps and the Pyrenees . At the end of the 18th century, the development of human activities such as pastoralism, the exploitation of forests or the use of firearms accentuated its disappearance and in the middle of the 19th century its presence was only noted in fourteen departments of the Jura, of the Alps and the Pyrenees.
Your dog can run away and attack a bear
Loose dogs can startle bears and provoke a defensive attack on themselves and their owners. Always keep your dog on a leash. To avoid attracting bears, do not leave dog food outside, on porches, or in screened-in areas. Mother bears with their cubs normally avoid interacting with humans. However, if a dog is present, it may provoke a defensive attack. A startled black bear will give warning signs to let you know you are too close. For example, a black bear rearing up on its hind legs is not a sign of aggressive behavior. The bear is trying to get a better view of you or your scent. Loose dogs can make these situations more dangerous. Always keep your dog on a leash when walking in bear territory.
The bear's diet
From the moment it emerges from hibernation until the berries mature, the bear lives off its fat reserves and the limited energy provided by spring greens. Although it is officially classified as a carnivore, i.e. it eats mainly meat, its diet is truly omnivorous, i.e. it eats both plants and animals. It gets most of its food energy from summer berries like blueberries, raspberries, and cherries. In the fall, it is interested in hazelnuts, service trees, acorns, and beechnuts Even if the black bear eats carrion, insects, fish, and the young of deer and moose, plants constitute most of its diet. He naturally seeks large amounts of high-energy foods, such as wild berry spaces, which help him gain weight quickly. In order to survive and be able to have and raise young, it must gain weight before returning to hibernate. The availability of its natural food varies from season to season and from year to year, which affects its rate of reproduction.