Austria
Austria is the 23rd largest country in Europe, and lies in the middle. As such, historically virtually all predators were hunted to extinction quite some time ago, and they have not been given a big chance to return.
Bears survive in Austria but only 25-30 remain. They are thought to live in the centre of the country. However, despite regularly recording successful breeding, the population has not grown. It is not clear what is the problem, though bears often appear to vanish at adolescence.
Wolves, similarly were lost back in the 1882 but returned silently 2016. There are currently only 80 or so animals. However, as you can see from the map below, they have been sited in a wide area (this is sightings for a whole year).
Please note, the map and sightings reporting below is only for wildlife outside the Alpine regionof Austria. If you click on the red area (which is the Austrian Alps) this will take you to the page giving you information on this area of the country and allow reporting sightings from this region.
Austria News
Wolves in the Alps are growing fast – 25% up in one year
The alps are essentially the centre of western Europe, while the Carpathians are the centre of eastern europe.
Linking bear and wolf populations across Europe is the best way to preserve them longterm – is this possible?
The Pyrennes in the south west of France, and the corresponding area across the border, are a wonderful area of wilderness. There are currently about 64 bears living in this area. So where are we on the road to recovery? Were the the entire Pyrennes mountains wild, it is thought that these mountains could support …
Glass is capable of being endlessly recycled – but some countries are better than others
Making new glass from cutlet (small glass pieces) saves significant energy. This is partly because it needs a lower temperature to melt. While it is true that much of the materials that go into glass are not in short supply, it is still more sensible to reuse, particularly if your energy requirements are lower. Apart …
Could Bialowlieza forest be destroyed by forests on borders?
Around the world we are in a period where there are lots of people struggling where they are. Whether due to weather or war or crime, there are significant numbers of people who are on the move. Perhaps the most famous is the border wall that Donald Trump ran on. Given that almost all of …
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Are wolves breaking into new territory in Europe?
Yesterday, I was writing about a new wolf pack that had established itself in northern California – this is exciting, because wolves have only started recolonising California in the last couple of years and they seem to be thriving (as one would expect). Indeed, wolf recovery in America is highly likely (assuming policies like Trumps …
Continue reading "Are wolves breaking into new territory in Europe?"