People’s perception of the brown bear reintroduction in the Spanish Pyrenees

Abstract

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) was reintroduced in the Pyrenees during the ‘90s. The bear population has increased in number and distribution, fostering human-wildlife conflicts in areas where the species was absent for more than a century. We analysed 236 questionnaires about people’s perception toward the bear reintroduction in the Spanish Pyrenees, as well as the role of public administration in managing the damages caused by bears using regression trees. Our tree models explained 85% of the observed variability of people’s perceptions being the main drivers of perception whether people consider brown bears to be overabundant, whether these mammals attract nature tourism, if bears represent a danger for humans and finally if the local administration compensates for brown bear damages. We conclude that local administration should create the appropriate social atmosphere for the coexistence of humans and brown bears through information and risk prevention campaigns, compensation of damages, and promoting the public valorisation of the species. These efforts to mitigate human-bear conflicts may promote a positive perception of local people towards this emblematic mammal.