Protecting the Marsican brown bear
Blog
Giving the critically endangered Marsican bear a better chance through protected landscapes and coexistence within Wildlife Heritage Areas.
Deep in the wild heart of Italy’s Central Apennine Mountains lives one of the rarest bears in the world – the Marsican brown bear.
Meet the Marsican brown bear
The Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) is a unique subspecies of brown bear found only in a restricted area of the Central Apennines in Italy. With fewer than 60 individuals remaining in the wild, this subspecies has been classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conversation of Nature (IUCN).
But this bear’s importance goes far beyond their own survival. The Marsican brown bear is considered an “umbrella species”, meaning that protecting them also supports the many other species within the same ecosystem – from wolves, deer, eagles, vultures and more!
Working to protect the Marsican brown bear
Safeguarding one of the world’s rarest bears requires more than just protected land – it takes a deep understanding of the region and close relationships with local communities. That’s where the dedicated team at Rewilding Apennines comes in.
We spoke with Mario Cipollone, Team Leader of Rewilding Apennines, along with Communications Manager Angela Tavone and Enterprise Manager Valerio Reale. Together, they’re building a future where bears and the community can coexist peacefully.
As a young nature-lover and conservation practitioner, I was extremely worried by bad news concerning bears in my region. I didn’t want to be part of the generation that would have testified on the extinction of the Marsican brown bear doing nothing… I had to take action and do whatever it took to revert this fate.
- Mario Cipollone
The importance of the Apennines Marsican Bear Heritage Area
To protect these bears, Rewilding Apennines helped to establish the Apennines Marsican Bear Heritage Area – a mosaic of national and regional parks and corridor areas that form a safe haven for this elusive bear.
The hope is that this protected area will allow for the population to increase and expand their distribution range, making the subspecies viable in number and genetic fitness. Mario explains that “this will happen through strong cooperation among institutions and NGOs to improve the bear habitat and reduce threats and conflicts with local communities, who will be more aware of how to coexist with bears, proud of their presence and more responsible for the conservation of this iconic animal.”
But the threats are real – and mostly human-caused. From poaching and poisoning to road collisions and habitat fragmentation, these dangers make it harder for bears to roam and find mates. That’s why protected areas and connected corridors are so important.
Building “bear-smart” communities
To give these bears a real chance at survival, Rewilding Apennines is piloting a bear-smart community initiative, inspired by successful coexistence models in British Columbia. This program helps the local community coexist with the bears and benefit from the tourism they bring.
“We organize public events on human-bear coexistence and speak directly to people impacted, such as farmers, beekeepers and livestock breeders,” says Angela Tavone. “We also include locals during our press tours as testimonies of our work is helpful to amplify the positive message towards other residents, who read the articles and appreciate the results”
The benefits go beyond bears.
“We've seen more ecological connectivity, like the removal of barbed wire in the mountains and the removal of river barriers,” Angela shares. “That means more space for wildlife to roam. We’ve also seen an increased awareness from locals that reflects on more respect for nature.”
Why Wildlife Heritage Areas matter
The Apennines Marsican Bear Heritage Area is now part of a growing global network of Wildlife Heritage Areas – an initiative we launched in 2023 to help safeguard wild animals in their natural habitats.
"While spotting a wild animal roaming free in its habitat surely brings joy, for us it’s about awareness and learning to recognize what it takes to coexist with wild bears,” says Valerio Reale. “Wild animals are not there forever, and we should never take for granted their possibility to exist. Much of this possibility depends on our actions, on our capacity to recognize their value and being recognized as a Wildlife Heritage Areas supports this vision,” Valerio explains.
Being part of our Wildlife Heritage Areas network helps local organizations amplify their message and connect with global supporters.
How you can help
On Endangered Species Day, we recognize the urgent need to protect the species that are on the brink of extinction, like the Marsican brown bear – before it’s too late.
“The Marsican brown bear is a symbol of nature’s resilience,” says Mario. “They do their best to survive in a human-dominated landscape. Their intelligence and adaptability should inspire us to respect them and give them a real chance to persist, even in our uncertain times.”
Your support today could be the difference between life and extinction for the Marsican brown bear. By donating, you’ll contribute to creating protected corridors and promoting coexistence programs that will give this rare bear a fighting chance at survival.
Banner photo: Bruno D Amicis / Rewilding Europe
Want to be a part of a rewilding experience?
Rewilding Apennines offers immersive opportunities to learn about rewilding in action. Learn more about these programs and how they support the Marsican brown bear!
Be a responsible traveller
Visit a Wildlife Heritage Area on your next adventure and learn more about how some travel companies are leading the way supporting animal welfare, communities and the planet for generations to come. Tour operator Exodus has partnered with Rewilding Apeninnes so that profits on all trips to the area go back into critical community and conservation projects.