Pyrénées

The Pyrénées mountains are home to a population of brown bears, reintroduced in the 1990s with bears from Slovenia. These bears are newsworthy due to a recent report by the Office français de la biodiversité (OFB) highlighting both population growth and concerning genetic issues. The OFB's 2025 census estimates at least 108 individual bears in the Pyrénées. However, this growth is overshadowed by increasing inbreeding and low genetic diversity within the population. This lack of diversity, stemming from the small number of founding bears, is already showing negative effects, including smaller litter sizes and increased mortality among young bears. The long-term viability of the Pyrénées bear population is now threatened by this genetic bottleneck, making conservation efforts crucial.