ACTION C.8 – Internet-based population-level monitoring geo-database

Efficient transboundary management of brown bears is practically impossible without a good data-exchange system. Considerable amount of data about brown bears is being collected in different countries. These data usually exist in specialized databases that are difficult to access and utilize, limiting their usefulness. The problem becomes even more pronounced when the transboundary aspect of the population is taken into account, as collaboration between countries at the data-exchange level is very limited. The geo-database we will create in this project will overcome these limitations and provide a simple to use, efficient facility for collection and dissemination of bear-related data.

There are considerable advantages of this approach. Entry of various bear-related data into the database will be simplified and automated as much as possible, facilitating data collection and exchange. The geo-database will enable direct access to current bear-related data at transboundary level to managers and decision makers, providing solid population-level support for management decisions. Researchers will benefit from the real-time access to spatially-explicit bear data from various sources, enabling better planning and execution of field-related research activities.

Transboundary genetic tracking of bears will ultimately answer many currently unanswered questions regarding the range and possibility of long-range dispersal of bears, providing a better insight not only into spatial connectivity from the bear perspective along Dinaric mountains, but also into expansion of this species into the Alps. And, last but not least, the interactive, visually exciting and widely accessible geo-portal with bear data will help promote popularization and conservation of the species.

Latest C.8 actions: