ACTION A.4 – Impact of bear-vehicle collisions on brown bear population, determination of “black spots” and preparation of action plan of mitigation measures

Traffic related mortality is one of the most important negative factors that affect bear population. It is one of the factors of bear mortality and in some areas even creates the sink of bear population; it can reduce bear migration and gene flow, hamper the dispersal of the bears and thus also limits spatial expansion of the species. The later can considerably decrease chances to establish a vital, well connected Alpine-Dinaric-Pindos bear population in the south-central part of Europe. Mortality of bears on roads and railways is one of the major risk factor for bears in both Slovenia and Croatia. Indeed, in some regions of Slovenia along bear corridors, which connect Dinaric Mountains with Alps, bear-vehicle collisions apparently represent the main cause of mortality and act as a local population sink.

Expected results are the following: (i) One technical report and one popular paper on the traffic related bear mortality on the Slovenian-Croatian bear population as a whole and on it expansion front towards the Alps, with map showing the distribution of traffic related mortality of bears, importance of traffic mortality compared to other mortality sources, effects of traffic mortality on brown bear spatial expansion. (ii) One technical report on the effect of improper rubbish bins on highways to the attraction of bears on the highways in Croatia. (iii) Identification and selection of ‘black-spots’ – exact problematic sections (micro locations) used as a best practice demonstration points for the implementation of the countermeasures for reducing number of bear-vehicle collisions. (iv) Two actions plan for the implementation of technical mitigation measures in Slovenia and Croatia.

Latest A.4 actions: