Andorra Dismisses Bear Population Boom Amid Rise in Sightings
Authorities say more bears are detected due to better surveillance, not expansion. They urge adaptation with protections for farms and hikers while celebrating habitat quality.
Key Points
- 15 bear samples gathered from spring to June via 30 surveillance points with 5G cameras.
- Samples indicate more than one brown bear, but analyses pending to confirm exact number.
- No increase in bear numbers; sightings similar to prior years, 8 distinct bears in 2025.
- Enhanced monitoring boosts detections; no breeding population or damage claims reported.
Andorra's Environment Minister Guillem Casal has confirmed the collection of 15 bear samples in 2026, indicating the passage of more than one brown bear through the country, though analyses are still needed to identify the exact number of individuals.
Speaking at a press conference following the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, Casal explained that the samples—gathered from spring through June via 30 surveillance points equipped with 5G cameras and hair-collection devices—do not suggest 15 distinct animals. "This does not mean there are 15 different individuals. The analyses will determine who these individuals are; they could be two or they could be five," he said. Images have already verified multiple bears, but no new detections have occurred since June.
Casal emphasized that nothing points to an increase in bear numbers, with sightings in zones similar to previous years, albeit with minor variations. The monitoring provides near-total control of incursions, he added, with data cross-checked against Spanish and French authorities. In 2025, eight distinct bears were identified, though it remains unclear if any are permanently established in Andorra. Some bears repeat visits annually, he noted, and officials plan end-of-year meetings with neighbors to assess detected animals' sex and age.
The minister described bears' presence as a sign of high-quality habitats conducive to coexistence. "If there is presence, there is an ecosystem for it to live in," Casal said. He highlighted the need to balance this with risks to agriculture, livestock, and hikers, pointing to a three-year-old compensation regulation for any damages—none claimed so far. Surveillance enhancements explain the rise in detections, he said: "We find more because we search more."
No female bears with cubs have been observed, supporting the absence of a local breeding population. Summer tourism and heat have likely reduced visibility in recent months. Protective grants for farms and alerts to at-risk herders remain in place.
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