Bears in Spain

[Señora]

Hi all.
Many people aren't even aware that there are bears in Spain, if this goes ahead there probably won't be!
The Spanish government is contemplating allowing the go ahead of the building of a ski resort in the Cordillera Cantábrica mountains of N.Spain. The area concerned is slap in the middle of the 2 existing populations of Iberian brown bear - only some 140 individuals of a distinct sub-species. The project would be funded by the EU, an organisation that is also responsible for the laws "protecting" the indigenous wildlife - specifically Natura 2000 and the Habitats Directive.
The construction company and local government in question are proposing amending these laws to permit the building of lifts, carparks, hotels, restaurants etc. all at a relatively low-altitude, in one of western Europe's last wild spaces, where the use of artificial snow machines would be necessary.

A petition; http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/418999897
is taking signatures to be sent to the Spanish minister for the environment.
Please give your support.

[tanjh]

Bears are such cuddly things. :)

[richardksa]

They can cuddle you to death

[TotallyKen]

Jose Ignacio, the manager of the hotel, where I had my wedding reception (September 1996) in Sobron in Alava was very fond of animals and especially bears. He kept two on the premises which he had obtained from Asturias as cubs. There they grew in their cage, located at the back of the hotel, overlooking the River Ebro. They were a big attraction for visitors and so confident was Jose Ignacio with his bears he would often free them to allow them to swim in the river, later enticing them back into their cage with food.

Then on 10th April 2001, one of the bears managed to get out of the cage and was roaming near the river. Instead of waiting for back-up Jose Ignacio decided to go down to the river by himself to try and encourage the bear back into his cage. Well that was to be the biggest mistake of his life, as he ended up being mauled to death by the two bears. See the news reports here http://www.elmundo.es/2001/04/11/sociedad/980927.html

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/fotosdeldia/2001/04/10/index_3.html

The hotel, the Parque del Ebro, has since been demolished and on the site a new 4 star hotel and spa is being built. If you ever get a chance to drive to Sobron along by the Ebro river and on to Tobalina, you´ll find it is one of the most beautiful drives in Spain.

[Edith]

What a horrible story! Bears aren't pets, and never will be no matter how cuddly they may look. I don't think they are acting out of malice, they are simply following their predator instincts. Apart from that, they belong in the wild and not in a small enclosure like the one shown in the article.

Bears who lose their fear of humans often become extremely dangerous, as any park ranger in North America will be able to tell you. Timothy Treadwell, the naturalist who was killed by grizzlies in Alaska a couple of years ago, claimed he 'knew' his bears too - but in the end he overstepped his boundaries.

[Margot]

If you can (ahem) bear it ...just to add more fuel to the fire:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2935184
http://www.nbc11.com/news/11306024/detail.html#http://www.nbc11.com/news/11306024/detail.html#

[Edith]

And here are more bear facts: :D

http://www.iberianature.com/material/spainbearnews.htm

[richardksa]

..., which bear repeating, no doubt!

[Margot]

..., which bear repeating, no doubt!

whilst we bare our souls

[TotallyKen]

Give it up. This is becoming unBEARable.

[Margot]

Give it up. This is becoming unBEARable.

Just grin and - - - - (oso) it!