Tag: Europe

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Sweden decides to kill 20% of its bears in its annual hunt

Wild bears in Sweden

Just under 500 permits have been granted for bear hunting, which would drop the countries population under 2000 across the whole country. This is 40% under the population that existed in 2008. This number of licenses gives the game away, it is a give away to the trophy hunting industry, and is not about controlling the population.

While many bear hunters are pleased, there are a significant number who are concerned. Anders Nilsson a hunter in north Sweden said “There are those within the hunting community that are concerned about too many bears being killed off”. This is well above the annual replacement rate, and it is predicted that if this level was sustained into next year, the number of bears would fall below the minimum level of 1400, that is thought that is needed to retain a healthy population within the country.

Bears are a protected species in Europe, and as such “deliberate hunting or killing of strictly protect species is prohibited” with this only being lifted as a “last resort” to protect public safety, crops or natural flora and fauna.

It is feared that the bear is heading in the same direction as the moose, with a population having fallen 60% in the 21st century – having killed too many moose, the hunters are now blaming the bears for killing too many of what is left, and leaving too small a share for trophy hunters in the country. Culls of both wolves (there are currently roughly 450 wolves in the country, considered above carrying capacity, but only because they compete with humans, there is little supported science in working out carrying capacity at this level) and lynx have been increasing (lynx have a population of around 1450, though this is also heavily depressed on what would occur naturally – lynx also rarely target domestic livestock, though in Sweden this is more complex, as reindeer in northern Sweden are semi domestic, being allowed to roam free but owned).

This cull is well above what should be allowed, and is clearly not in line with European rules. It is also highly dangerous, as it risks Sweden’s bear watching industry. 9.2% of the economy comes from tourism, and many of these will spend time in rural areas, trying to see the bears. While it is hard to find numbers for how much money the bear culling brings in, it is certainly lower than the ecotourism potential of each living bear.

I have been lucky enough to see both bear and wolf in Sweden, from a bear hide. Well worth a visit, though, you may feel it worth waiting till the country starts culling fewer. Having said this, visiting to see the bears may instead show the government the value of leaving more bears alive. We have a bear hide on our books in the country click here to see more, or to book your visit, which is likely to be a memory that stays with you for a long time.

Flamingo and Grebe Species

American flamingo
Andean Flamingo
Chilean flamingo
Greater flamingo
James flamingo
Lesser flamingo

Flamingoes and Grebes

At the top of the page is an image of every species of flamingo, below you will find some information on each species. Below this, you will find the same for the grebes.

As always, should you work in tourism or conservation of any of these species, do get in touch, we are keen to help people find you. Click on list your wild place on the homepage main menu.

American Flamingo

Found in the West Indies, northern South America (including the Galápagos Islands) and the Yucatan Peninsula. It was considered cospecifc with the greater flamingo, but they are now recognized as separate species (it is also closely related to the Chilean flamingo). 

Formerly it was a culture icon in Southern Florida, but was largely extirpated by 1900. Having said this, there are vagrant flamingos in Florida, and these now often stay in the country worldwide.

There are 80,000-90,000 left in the wild, and there are 4 breeding colonies: in South America (in the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador, coastal Colombia and Venezuela, and northern Brazil), in the West Indies (Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti), The Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands), and tropical and subtropical areas of continental North America (along the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, and formerly southern Florida in the United States).

Andean Flamingo

Found in the Andes mountains of South America, it is in the same genus as the James Flamingo. Indeed, the Chilean Andea and James flamingo often share nesting sites and are relatively closely related.

It is considered vulnerable to extinction with roughly 34,000 remaining in the wild, but declining over time.

As with other flamingos they are filter feeders, though what they filter can vary from algae to small fish – which they look for in shallow salty water.

They migrate between salt lakes in the summer and lower wetlands in winter – with the capacity of covering 700 miles a day.

The threat that this species faces, is generally due to human activity of mining and other changes to their habitat.

Chilean Flamingo

Closely related to the American and greater flamingo, it is listed as near threatened in the wild with a wild population of about 200,000. Population declines are due to habitat loss and degradation, harvesting and human disturbance.

While they are only currently listed as near threatened, there is a great deal of concern about falling populations, and as such they are relatively common in zoos and there is an active breeding program..

 

Greater Flamingo

The greaterflamingo has the greatest of ranges of any species (as you can see from the map. While it is found down the East coast of Africa, it is also found on the northwest coast and the northern coast. It is also present in the middle east, and throughout much of Sothern Europe. Its range also extends into India. It is listed as least concern with a population between 550,000 and 680,000 with between 45,000 and 125,000 living in Europe – the Camargue is the most famous in Southern France

They are listed as least concern

 

James Flamingo

The James flamingo is also found on the high Andean plateau, and is closely related to the Andean Flamingo. It was thought extinct until a population was rediscovered in 1956, and the current population is thought to be around 106,000.

It is currently listed as near threatened, and on CITES appendix 2.

Lesser Flamingo

Found in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. While the smallest species, it still stands 80-90cm tall. The easiest way to tell this and the greater flamingo (with overlapping range) apart is that the greater flamingo has more black on its bill.

Estimates on the number of this species range from “above” 2 million to as much as 5 million.

They generally breed in highly caustic lakes of the great rift valley in Africa, though there are places in India and a few other places as well.

They are classed as near threatened. While their choice of nesting site protects from many predators, it is still true that many flamingos are killed. From fish eagles to baboons and big cats, there are many species who will eat a flamingo if they can get hold of it.

It is well worth seeing this animal in the wild. Seeing 750,000 lesser flamingos on lake nakuru in kenya is a site that is hard to forget.

Visits to see flamingos are well worth it, and while some live in remote places, it is usually a species which is reliable. Please get in touch if you work in tourism or conservation of this species. Click on list your wild place on the home page of the website.

Next the Grebes

Clark's grebe Found in west North America Least Concern,
western grebe
Black necked grebe
Great crested grebe
Great grebe
Hooded grebe
Horned grebe
Junin grebe
Red-necked grebe
Silvery grebe
pied-billed grebe
Hoary-headed grebe
New zealand grebe
Titicaca grebe
White-tufted grebe
Australasian Grebe
Least Grebe
Little grebe
Madagascar Grebe
Tricolored grebe

While some sites claim 22 species, my list has found that some of these were extinct (indeed, according to my list there were 3 species that have gone extinct. If there are any experts out there who notice one missing, let me know

We are eager as always to help people find places to see these birds. Do let me know if you work in wildlife tourism or run a place to stay where these birds are regularly seen. Click on list your wild place on the front page of the website.

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Golden Jackal found in France for the first time

Golden jackals are not native to France, probably as a result of of the presence of wolves. Unfortunately, wolf populations have dropped so low, that their presence is not stopping the spread of animals like this.

In this instance, the female was too young to have arrived on its own, suggesting that not only are golden jackals present, but they are breeding.

We will have to watch this space, and see what is happening. Will the recovering wolf population stop the spread, or are golden jackals going to become a permanent part of west Europe’s fauna?

To read more about golden jackals visit our golden jackal page here

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Reversing extinction: Marwell zoo and the scimitar-horned oryx

Declared extinct in the wild back in 2000, this species is now not only re-established in the wild, but has a big enough population to now only be listed as endangered (down from critically endangered).

Apart from supplying individuals for the reintroduction, Marwell zoo also helped with strategy.

The video below is just 2 minutes long. While it talks about Marwells other work as well, it shows a number of these animals living wild back in Africa.

This has got to become the reason for zoos. What ever else they do, there are many species at risk of extinction in the wild, these need to have enough captive individuals to re-establish wild populations, should the current conservation fail.

Of course, zoos have many other roles, from education, to fostering a love of wildlife in the next generation.

One thing that they should not be, is a curio house- many zoos are far to worried about displaying albino or melanistic individuals. Now while these individuals are fascinating and can be used as ambassadors for the species, their genetic health should be looked after (all white tigers are descended from one female, and closely related individuals are regularly bred togerther to ensure this trait is passed down. Indeed, as a result of this, white tigers are often not of good health.

The majority of zoos are now like Marwell – while like many, it started as the private zoo of wealthy owners it has turned into an important place of conservation and science. Another of their successes, is the cooperative breeding that occurs as standard in current times, across Europe. Regular loaning of animals is essential, so that we can treat all of the zoo animals in Europe as one single population, thereby  making sure that all animals in the system are healthy.

There are many hundreds of zoos across Europe (some claim as many as 2000, though around 1500 is the estimated worldwide number suggesting that this is a rather large exaggeration. It is likely that around half of the worlds zoos are in Europe, and by cooperative breeding, we can make sure that healthy populations remain in captivity, so that should a population be lost from the wild, it can be returned, when the wild situation improves.

Almost all predictions about human population are expected to peak in the coming decades, and then decline after that. If this pattern is followed, it should be expected that we will need to re-establish wilderness in the future. 

Scimitar-horned oryx have been returned to the wild in Tunisia, and Chad and there are plans to return them to the wild in Niger, in the near future.

Extinction was caused by a variety of features, but the primary one was over-hunting. This has virtually been eliminated, after a ban on hunting of this species was put into effect in 2013. Should this species be allowed to fully recover. In 1985, there was a population of at least 500 of this species living in the wild, so it took only 15 years for it to disappear, as such what is clearly essential is a regular assessment on how this species is faring, allowing earlier interventions.

Saving the natural world, may require this kind of success to be a regular feature.

Red panda

Red Panda

Recent genetic analysis has shown that the red panda is not in fact a small bear, but instead has a closer relationship to raccoons, mustelids (badgers otters and the like) and skunks. However, what is even more fascinating, is that the next closest related family is in fact the pinipeds (seals sealions and similar) and only after this, do we find the giant panda amongst the other bears.

What is fascinating, though, is that this is the original panda. The red panda was discovered and named in 1825, while the giant panda was only discovered in 1869. I cannot find any articles on it, but I suspect that the red panda was also long-known about in China before its discovery as well.

It is not closely related to the giant panda, which is a bear, though they do share a number of features such as elongated wrist bones or “false thumbs” used for grasping bamboo (so-called convergent evolution; where distantly related species evolve the same features, because it allows each to survive well in the wild – eating what they eat (or similar). The evolutionary lineage of the red panda (Ailuridae) goes back as far as 18-25 million years ago, and there are a variety of fossils in this lineage, found in Europe and North America.

So what has happened in recent times? They were known to be found in  two different places, one of them lives in the Himalayas and the other in China. What has been discovered in recent times, is that these are not only subspecies, but separate species – and are thought to have split 250,000 years ago. However, while this is clearly true, it may well need to be forgotten – there are only 10,000 red pandas left in the wild as the top possible estimate, some suggest that there are actually only 2500 – we may have no choice in conserving both species, but have to interbreed them to help just one mixed group of red pandas, rather than loosing all red pandas from the wild. They live in coniferous forests as well as temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, favouring steep slopes with dense bamboo cover close to water sources. Most of its nutrients come from bamboo stems and leaves,

Support for these wild populations is essential. The best way to help justify their long term survival, is for local people to see them as a financial gift. This can happen quickly, with not that many people going there.

Below is a video for each, below that is a list of any articles which mention this fascinating creature, and below that, we will add any links that  will help you see these animals in the wild.

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Dhole

Dhole

The Dhole is an ancient species of dog, It split from the rest of the dog family 5.2-7.6 million years ago.

While it is related to the family of canis, it is different. It was once found throughout Europe, Asia and North America, but its range decreased down to its current range 12,000-18,000 years ago. In more recent times, this area has shrunk significantly, as a result of human changes.

Even with the dramatic reduction in range, it is still a large area, given the current population is thought to be around 2500 individuals, which means that it has to be a rare species, and likely there are areas with little or none of the species still found.

There are a variety of factors, from loss of habitat, persecution for livestock predation, competition from other species and diseases caught from closely related species. There are currently 7 subspecies of dhole recognized, though in the past that number has been as high as 10.

It is protected in parts of its range, but is still at threat.

African Dwarf crocodile

African dwarf crocodile

The dwarf crocodile (also known as the African dwarf crocodile, broad-snouted crocodile -a name more often used for the Asian mugger crocodile) or bony crocodile), is an African crocodile that is also the smallest living species of crocodile.

Found in lowlands to mid-height areas, in small and mid-size streams (they avoid large rivers). Generally, they live in rivers that lie in rainforest, though they will venture into the open.

They are known, in places, to be found in pools deeply isolated in Savannah. In western Gabon, there are also a group which have been living long-term in caves. It is considered vulnerable by the IUCN and is Appendix i of CITES. Where they are declining, it appears largely as a result of deforestation and hunting for the bushmeat trade. As a result, while in some regions they have a healthy population, in others (like Gambia and Liberia) they are almost lost.

In zoos in the USA and Europe there are a few of this species, however, records are not good, and quite a few of them are clearly hybrids with little conservation use. I should note, a zoo I occasionally volunteer at (marwell zoo) had one of these crocodiles until last year when it went to another zoo for breeding.

We hope to be able to list places for you to visit to see this species as soon as possible. Any of these will appear below the video and the news section (this lists all the times that this species has been mentioned (if any) in this blog). Below this, we will list all the easiest places we have connections to, to see this species.

 

brown Bear

Brown bear

With it’s range originally encompassing the whole of Europe, much of Asia, most of North America and the atlas mountains of Africa (the only native African bear), it has unfortunately been in decline for some time. These days the bear habitat consists of Alaska and parts of Canada as well as northern regions of the USA, relict populations in Western Europe though they still have a stronghold in Eastern Europe and and Russia as well as sections of central Asia. Highly intelligent they have never lived at high densities, as members high on the the food chain, few places can support large populations for long. With their impressive intelligence, and inquisitive nature, the can be tough to live alongside. With all that in mind brown bear watching can be an enjoyable pastime in many different places. Around much of the world there are newer hides in places that bears still exist – these allow you to watch bears in their natural habitat. We currently only have one listed (it’s will with a visit, link below) but we are always keen to list many more.

There are many places where bears live happily live alongside humans and are rarely seen.

Over time we hope to list many places where you can visit bears and see them in their wild home. These will be done by country (visit the tabs below). Below this, is a list of any articles that have been written on this species, below that will be links that we have to see bears yourself.

Spanish bears have done incredibly well, over the last few decades. There are 2 areas of the country where the bears exist. One is in the Pyrenees, and the other was in the Cantabria mountains. In the 1990s

Cantabria

The Cantabria bears population fell to just 50 bears in 2 populations in the mid 1990s, though oddly hunting was banned in 1973, so it took around 20 years for the population to stop falling – put down to illegal hunting and poaching  (I am not sure what the difference is between illegal hunting and poaching (the difference is that poaching often catches the animal alive). What was more concerning, was that there was only a handful of breeding females in the whole population. This population has grown very fast, the current population officially is around 370 strong (250 in the west, and 120 in the east with a gap of 40-50km however, it has been shown that bears have been moving from the large to the smaller population with relative regularity suggesting it cannot be too hard). Many people suggest that the population might be as high as 500 (It is good to under-estimate the population, as it allows the population to naturally grow to its previous size).

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees mountain chain run along the border between France and Spain, and in the early 20th century, there were around 150 bears in this population. This was reduced to 70 by 1954. By the 1990s, bears were missing from the central Pyrenees, which split the population, making both populations too small to retain significant genetic variability. In 1996, the French government introduced 3 bears from Slovenia (these are exactly the same subspecies, and the population was only split in modern times. Before this, there was just 7-8 living in the western part of the mountain range. Further reintroductions were made:  five in 2006, and two in 2018. This new genetic material, allowed the population to recover, and at the current time, the Pyrenees population is estimated at 83 as of 2023. In recent times, the bear population has been growing at 11% per year. Being spread along the border, it is impossible to clearly differentiate a Spanish population and a French population.

While not an image of the bear in particular, likely very similar

In May 2019, a brown bear was spotted in Portugal for the first time since 1843, confirming the return of the species to the country. The bear was spotted in Montesinho Natural Park, in the Bragança region of northeast Portugal, close to the Spanish border. The bear likely came from the western Cantabrian Mountains in Spain, where the brown bear population is slowly increasing. This is perfectly normal behaviour, as the male bears disperse some distance to avoid inbreeding.

Having said this, when I was there back 5 years earlier, 3 bears were being seen from time to time, around the Sierra de Culebra, right on the Portuguese border. As such, it is quite likely that bears have been crossing this border for some time, even if locals were unaware.

Given time, it is quite conceivable that this population will grow and become a permanent presence in the country – so long as it is allowed to be. It should be noted, that while bears can be a nuisance, it is an opportunistic omnivore. Eating mainly plants, roots, fruit, berries and nuts, its mostly vegetarian diet is supplemented by insects, eggs, honey, fungi and carrion. Given the presence of wolves in Portugal, the bear is capable of living alongside humans far easier than wolves. It is true that they have an annoying habit of breaking into bee hives, but that is little compared to the occasional livestock kill.

French bears have not done well, having come to the edge of extinction before a number of bears were translocated to the mountain range from Slovenia.

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees mountain chain run along the border between France and Spain, and in the early 20th century, there were around 150 bears in this population. This was reduced to 70 by 1954. By the 1990s, bears were missing from the central Pyrenees, which split the population, making both populations too small to retain significant genetic variability. In 1996, the French government introduced 3 bears from Slovenia (these are exactly the same subspecies, and the population was only split in modern times. Before this, there was just 7-8 living in the western part of the mountain range. Further reintroductions were made:  five in 2006, and two in 2018. This new genetic material, allowed the population to recover, and at the current time, the Pyrenees population is estimated at 83 as of 2023. In recent times, the bear population has been growing at 11% per year. Being spread along the border, it is impossible to clearly differentiate a Spanish population and a French population.

There were once bears in the French alps as well, but the last one was shot in 1936. There are bears in the alps, but it appears that there is not a permanent

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees mountain chain run along the border between France and Spain, and in the early 20th century, there were around 150 bears in this population. This was reduced to 70 by 1954. By the 1990s, bears were missing from the central Pyrenees, which split the population, making both populations too small to retain significant genetic variability. In 1996, the French government introduced 3 bears from Slovenia (these are exactly the same subspecies, and the population was only split in modern times. Before this, there was just 7-8 living in the western part of the mountain range. Further reintroductions were made:  five in 2006, and two in 2018. This new genetic material, allowed the population to recover, and at the current time, the Pyrenees population is estimated at 83 as of 2023. In recent times, the bear population has been growing at 11% per year. Being spread along the border, it is impossible to clearly differentiate a Spanish population and a French population on the French sideof the mountain range.

While Switzerland does not have a resident population of brown bears, there are occasional sightings of bears that immigrate from Italy. The last indigenous bear in Switzerland was shot in 1904.
Bear plan
In 2006, Switzerland implemented a “bear plan” to promote coexistence between humans and bears. This plan includes killing bears that pose a risk to humans, such as those that frequently enter human settlements. Having said this, in practice, in recent years, it has often meant that any bear which enters Switzerland and does not leave quick enough has been targeted. Thankfully being wild animals, they have often left on their own
Bear sightings
Bears have been spotted in the cantons of Bern, Grisons, Lucerne, Nidwald, Obwald, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, and Valais.

The notorious brown bear known as M13 has been killed. He was shot in the early hours of Tuesday, after it proved impossible to keep him away from human settlements, the Federal Office for the Environment announced on Wednesday. M13 was the only bear known to have been living in Switzerland. 

A male bear born in Italy in 2013, M29 is believed to have crossed into Switzerland in April 2016. He was spotted a few times before disappearing in September 2017. It is not clear what happened, but very often when a bear disappears, that means that it has been illegally killed (though we can hope he simple left of his own accord).

 

The Marsican brown bear is one of the surviving populations of bears in western Europe. At the current time, there are an estimated 50-60 bears living in the mountains, though only 10-12 of these are females of breeding age. In 1980s there were 100 bears in this region. However, if we could reduce the death rate, each breeding female, is capable of producing up to 3 bear cubs, every couple of years. This means that we can expect as high as 15 bear cub births a year, or an increase of 25% in the population.

The Marsican brown bear, also known as the Apennine brown bear, lives in a range of about 5,000 to 8,000 square kilometers in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. This range includes:

  • The Abruzzo-Lazio-Molise National Park
  • The Sibillini National Park
  • The Gran Sasso-Laga National Park
  • The Majella National Park
  • The Velino-Sirente National Park
  • The Simbruini Regional Park
The other brown bear population was reintroduced to Trentino from Slovenia. This population has grown to over 100 bears. It should be noted, that Slovenia, is directly to the right of this part of Italy, so it is quite possible that at some point, the bears might have migrated to the area naturally. These reintroductions started in 1999 and continued for around 5 years. Only 10 bears were moved, suggesting an impressive rate of recovery.
It should be noted, that while the Marsican bear has a tourist industry around it, as of yet there is far less around the Trentino bear population.

Having gone extinct back in the 19th century, one might wonder why I have included it on this list. The closest population is in trentino in Italy, however, there have been many reported sightings, and given bears habits of dispersing hundreds of miles, this is not impossible to believe. While likely a shock to the people of Germany, and possible that the German government would choose to kill any bears that settled, Germany has plenty of wild space, after all, the country now hosts 1200 wolves.

Brown bears are roaming into the country, with increasing frequency, but  none have as yet settled within the country.

However, while there is less wilderness in Hungary than many ccountries in Europe, meaning this population can only grow slowly.

Golden Jackal

European golden jackal

Golden Jackal

The Golden jackal is a species found across the south eastern part of Europe as well as throughout much of southern Asia. It is the animal which the African wolf was confused with, and the reason that it was described as a species so recently.

 

Despite its name, the Golden jackal is not closely related to the African Black-backed jackal or Side-striped jackal, which are part of the genus Lupulella, being instead closer to wolves and coyotes. The ancestor of the Golden jackal is believed to be the extinct Arno river dog that lived in southern Europe 1.9 million years ago. It is described as having been a small, jackal-like canine. Genetic studies indicate that the Golden jackal expanded from India around 20,000 years ago, towards the end of the last Last Glacial Maximum. The oldest Golden jackal fossil, found at the Ksar Akil rock shelter near Beirut, Lebanon, is 7,600 years old. The oldest golden jackal fossils in Europe were found in Greece and are 7,000 years old.

Golden jackals live eight to nine years in the wild and up to 16 in captivity.

Living nearby human settlements, Golden jackals are strictly nocturnal. However, those living in other areas can be partly diurnal. They generally live in pairs or as a family unit. Living in pairs, the jackals share most of their activity with their partners. By hunting together they are three times more successful, than hunting alone. Jackal families hunt on a territory of about 2-3 sq. km. all year round. Looking for shelter, they frequently use caverns, dug by other animals. Golden jackals can also dig caverns themselves as well as use crevices in rocks. They are very friendly to their partners. Scratching one another all over their bodies is a common activity between mates. Nevertheless, once strange jackals encounter each other, their behaviour shows subordination, domination, and even readiness to attack.

Algonquin wolf

Algonquin Wolf

This wolf was formerly called the Eastern Timber wolf, and was considered a subspecies of the grey wolf. There are only around 500 of this species that live in the wild. They are classified as vulnerable, presumably as there was never a large population of these wolves in the wild. They are thought to have split from grey wolves 67,000 years ago (for reference, this is more than twice the minimum distance back to when red and grey wolves split).

Found in the area of the great lakes and eastern Canada.

At the point at which it was decided that this wolf is a separate species, it already has a relatively low population, though it is considered to be mid-way between secure and extinct.

Any articles that we write in the future will appear below. We hope in the future to link to people who can help you see them in the wild, this will lie below the news. Do get in touch if you live or work in the area, we are really keen to connect you with those people visiting the area, so that they can see this newly split species and to bring you income from this species on your doorstep.

Both of the below videos are from Algonquin park, the first is a natural howl of a wolf in the stillness of the morning, while the second, is a howl prompted by a human howling into the wilderness – while this should not be done too often, as it can make the wolves nervous (they howl to spread themselves out, so hearing howls can make them think that they have to fight – though howling in North America is far more common, likely as a result of centuries of persecution in Europe.

As we make links in the field to see this species, they will appear below the  videos and the list of articles.

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