Wolf and Brown Bear Populations are Recovering in Europe 0 131

There is a growth in the populations of wolves, brown bears, white-tailed eagles, and other animals in Europe. This is stated in the report "The Return of European Wildlife," prepared on behalf of the non-profit organization Rewilding Europe. The information is provided by The Guardian.

Researchers analyzed data on 50 species of wildlife whose numbers and geographical distribution have increased over the past 40 years. According to them, effective legal protection, habitat restoration, and reintroduction are contributing to improved biodiversity.

“The status of the overwhelming majority of populations has improved due to human efforts,” noted one of the report's authors, Louise Macrae from the Zoological Society of London.

Among predators, the gray wolf has made the fastest comeback. For centuries, they were killed by humans, and it was not until the 1970s that a period of decline began, when only a few populations remained in limited areas in southern and northeastern Europe.

Since the introduction of legal protection and a change in people's attitudes towards these animals, the number of wolves in Europe has increased by 1,800%. Today, there are 17,000 individuals in the region's countries.

The population of white-tailed eagles has also increased, reaching 12,500 birds. Across Europe, their numbers have increased by 445% from 1970 to 2018, mainly due to legislative bans on harmful pesticides.

Since 1960, the European population of brown bears has increased by 44% due to improved legal protection.

“Coexistence with species like predators remains a challenge, but attitudes are changing — we are still learning to live alongside these animals,” clarified Louise Macrae.

The report did not include insects or plants, partly because there is much less data on long-term trends regarding them.

Despite the positive results, wildlife continues to disappear at a record pace across the planet: 1 million species are at risk of extinction, and the overwhelming majority of protected landscapes in Europe are in poor or very poor condition.

Although many of these species have shown recovery over the past 40 years, this follows centuries of decline, so none of them have reached numbers they could expect under different circumstances.