Recently, a local news website relating to the Gran Sasso area published a letter from one of its readers without first verifying the veracity of the content and, then, selecting the correct information. Since this letter concerns the presence of specimens of the Marsican brown bear in the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, many have questioned whether it could undermine the delicate process of peaceful coexistence between the local communities and the bear in the newly expanding territories of the species, which is also carrying out through the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative.

The LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors project gets underway to meet the communities and ask: “Is it possible to live in an area where bears also live? And how?”

Coexistence between large predators and humans is essential to conservation. An innovative map, created thanks to the collaboration between scientists and local communities, highlights the critical areas and contributes to the planning of coexistence and conservation measures designed to meet the needs of the territory.

A new study has confirmed that Marsican brown bears play a valuable role promoting the Central Apennines as nature-based tourism destination.

Within the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative, some partners had the idea to spread the coexistence best practices with the bear through the promotion of high-quality food products from the Central Apennines, all encased within the Bear-Smart Box.

Italian and Greek partners in the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative recently visited Canada to learn about Bear Smart Communities in British Columbia. The insights acquired and collaborative ethos developed will enhance rewilding efforts.

Working to promote coexistence between Marsican brown bears and humans in five essential wildlife corridors, the Central Apennines rewilding team had a productive 2019. The team were encouraged in their efforts by a range of positive results and the record-breaking number of bear cubs born last year.