Cubs in the Spanish Pyrenees, in 2016 (illustrative image). – HO / ARAN PARK / AFP
It has been almost 50 years that associations in favor of the reintroduction of the bear in the Pyrenees have been waiting to see this in Béarn. This Thursday, they announce with undisguised pleasure that three cubs have been identified in the company of the bear Sorita, released in October 2018 in the Aspe Valley. “This is the first litter of cubs detected in the Pyrenees in 2021, and it is symbolically important”, note the associations in a press release. It will be necessary to wait to collect samples of hair or droppings and to analyze them before knowing their parent, because several males frequent this sector.
“Even if these births are not enough to restore a viable population, this is excellent news, which brings hope for the future of the species in the Pyrenees, as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first releases. », Welcome the associations.