• 14 cameras are being installed in the Western Rhodopes, which will collect information about the round-the-clock activity of the representatives of the protected species

Starting tomorrow, within a week, the 16th annual monitoring of the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) species will be conducted. The goal is to record the trends in the distribution, presence and numbers of the species in Bulgaria. The monitoring is organized by employees of the Department of Biodiversity and Forest Ecosystems Monitoring at the Executive Environment Agency (EEA).

The main territories that are permanently inhabited by the species will be visited: the Rila, Pirin, Vitosha, Western Rhodopes, and Central Stara Planina mountains. During the observations, information will be collected about the size and type of the discovered paw prints, as well as traces of the brown bear's vital activity - excrement, feeding, and marking behavior. Information will also be recorde on-site about registered threats to the species.

In the Western Rhodopes, on the territory of three hunting farms – Kormisosh, Izvora and Chepino – 14 cameras will be installed, which will collect information about the 24-hour activity of brown bears within a month.

Experts and specialists from the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Bulgarian Environment Agency, representatives of all regional environmental and water inspectorates, and the directorates of the three national parks - Rila, Pirin and Central Balkan, participate in the field observations.

The monitoring is carried out jointly with employees of the state hunting and forestry farms at five state enterprises – Southwestern, Northwestern, Northcentral, Southeastern, and Southcentral state enterprises, as well as employees of the Vitosha, Rila Monastery and Bulgarka nature parks at the Executive Forestry Agency.

The data from the annual monitoring are entered into the information system of the National Biodiversity Monitoring System and serve for a statistical assessment of the species' numbers, which is published in the National Report on the State and Protection of the Environment in the Republic of Bulgaria. The data will also be used to assess the status of the species, in accordance with the requirements of the Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora Directive.

In parallel with the field observations, the collection of genetic samples from brown bears continues under a pilot project for DNA monitoring of the species, which will allow for precise identification of the number and structure of the population. The data obtained will be used to improve the conservation and management of the brown bear species and reduce conflicts between people and wildlife.