With the arrival of spring, the Cantabrian Mountains begin to fill up with visitors, attracted by the beauty of their landscapes and their natural and cultural wealth. Citizens are increasingly appreciating and valuing the natural spaces, also to practise all kinds of recreational activities within them: hiking, cycling, climbing, trail running, nature observation and photography….
These are activities that generate resources for rural economies, and they must be carried out in a way that is respectful and compatible with the biodiversity of these mountains – including the Cantabrian brown bear: a jewel of the Iberian biodiversity that is recovering thanks to the work of administrations, NGOs and the commitment of the local population.
In Europe, bears avoid contact with people, and usually detect them well in advance, moving away discreetly without people noticing them in most cases. But as leisure activities and tourism in the bear mountains – and the population of the species – increase, so does the likelihood of a chance encounter, and it is always good to know how to behave.
At the Brown Bear Foundation (FOP) we work to raise awareness among visitors to the bear mountains: our aim is for them to enjoy them responsibly and safely, both for people and bears.
Here are five things you should never do to be a responsible visitor to bear mountains:
1) Never throw away food waste (and certainly no rubbish)
You could attract the attention of a bear, which has an excellent sense of smell, and also habituate it to look for food of human origin, a very negative behaviour for the animal.
2) Never follow bear tracks
It may be tempting, but you could surprise an animal that is resting or feeding in the bush and scare it away or make it angry. In bear areas do not leave authorised paths and tracks, and do not go into dense vegetation.
3) If you see a bear on the road, don’t chase it
If you come across a bear on the road, turn on your hazard lights and slow down or stop your car – if it is safe to do so – until the bear leaves the road. Don’t chase it: disturbing protected wildlife is a criminal offence.
4) Never approach a bear
If you see a bear in the distance, enjoy watching it without disturbing it. Approaching it, like any large animal, is not a good idea (no, not for a selfie either).
5) Do not run, shout or threaten them
In the event of a chance encounter, make yourself noticed without aggressive gestures and speak softly, so that he identifies you and continues on his way. Walk away slowly, without blocking his escape route, showing that you are not a threat to him. If you run, threaten or shout at him, you could trigger an aggressive action.
These illustrations are taken from the video ‘Advice for visiting the mountains of the brown bear’, produced by the LIFE Bears with Future project, which contains further recommendations for enjoying these areas responsibly and safely:
The video is the work of The Glow Animation Studio, from the Glow production company, which has won the European Film Award and the Goya Award for Best Animated Film, among other awards.
The audiovisual is part of the intense awareness campaign that is being developed within the framework of LIFE Bears with Future, aimed at those who practice leisure activities in the natural areas of the Cantabrian Mountains where the brown bear lives.
The project is collaborating with groups such as mountaineering clubs and mycological societies to disseminate these good practices, offering informative talks and guided routes in which 1,700 people have already participated. 700 people have already participated, with several planned for the near future: on 16 May in Ponferrada (León), with the Asociación Micológica Berciana Cantharellus; and in Oviedo (Asturias) with the Grupo de Montañeros VETUSTA; on 23 May in Corullón (León) with the Town Council of Corullón and the Asociación Micológica Berciana Cantharellus and on 30 May in Fabero (León), together with the Town Council of the municipality and the mountain clubs Laurisilva and La Bóveda.
Coordinated by the Brown Bear Foundation (FOP), LIFE Bears with a Future is co-financed by the European Union. Project partners are the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) and the Fundación Patrimonio Natural of the Regional Government of Castilla y León. The Principality of Asturias and the Fundación Tierra Pura also participate as collaborators.