In the heart of the central Apennines there is an extraordinary species that risks disappearing forever. It is the Marsican brown bear, a unique subspecies in the world and present with a population of only 50-60 individuals, threatened by poaching, poisoning, road investments and habitat fragmentation. On average, two bears die in the Apennines every year: a terribly high number for such a small population, endemic to an area that could potentially host more than 200.
Recent studies on the genome of the Marsican brown bear reveal an extraordinary story. Adaptation to the Apennine context has caused on the one hand the evolution of reduced aggressiveness, and on the other the evolution of a diet that is approximately 80% plant-based. But the isolation on the central Apennines, which has lasted for about 2,000 years, and the high mortality due to causes of human origin are at the basis of the low genetic diversity and the high risk of extinction of this unique population. The Marsican brown bears, which live in the mountainous areas between Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise, still encounter many dangers today, such as the widespread presence of human activities and infrastructures (roads and motorways in particular), which in addition to representing a concrete risk for the survival, fragment its habitat and make natural movements difficult, decreasing the possibility of the population expanding into new areas.
To give the Marsican brown bear concrete chances of surviving in the future, it is first necessary to drastically reduce human-caused mortality and improve environmental connectivity, also working to promote social acceptance by local communities. Peaceful coexistence with ‘our’ species is one of the primary objectives and to achieve it we need to work on multiple fronts, including preventing the onset of confident behaviors, which primarily put the survival of these individuals at risk.
An emblematic example is that of the bear Giacomina, who in her first years of life had developed an extremely confident behavior, and who instead has significantly reduced her visits to inhabited centers since 2020, also thanks to well-conducted dissuasion actions.
A SYMBOL SPECIES OF ITALIAN FAUNA
WWF Italy has been at the forefront for years to save this population, encouraging its numerical increase and expansion in the Apennines and improving coexistence with man thanks to the Orso 2×50 project, which sets the ambitious objective of reaching the minimum viable number of 100 Marsican bears by 2050, intervening on the main threats. The survival of this unique subspecies will depend on how effective the actions implemented in the coming years are. Protecting the Marsican brown bear is crucial to maintaining the Apennine ecosystem intact and functional and to preserve its evolutionary history, unique also because it is linked to its centuries-old coexistence with man. The protection of this species is part of the WWF’s Our Nature Campaign which aims to safeguard biodiversity. There are also many WWF Oases, involved in over 150 events these days to celebrate the Oasis Month, which occupy a strategic position to encourage the expansion of the bear, such as the Gole Sagittario Regional Reserve in Abruzzo, which represents a fundamental ecological corridor towards East. Sporadic presences are also recorded towards the south in the Guardiaregia-Campochiaro Oasis, in the Matese massif in Molise and also towards the north in that of Lago Secco on the edge of the Gran Sasso/Monti della Laga National Park.
To support the WWF SOS BEAR campaign to protect the Marsican brown bear, you can donate via SMS or landline call to 45584 from 5 to 19 May.
