There is no photo yet but there are revealing traces: A brown bear was obviously nibbling honey from a beehive at the El Coronel finca in the Cantabrian Mountains in Northern Spain this week. This is good news for EuroNatur partner Fapas because Roberto Hartasánchez, president of Fapas, and his colleagues put the beehives there on purpose, especially for the hungry predators.
Food has become rare for the bears in their western European range. There is not much apiculture left in the Cantabrian Mountains and as the bees get less the berries are reduced as well, one of the main food sources of the big fury mammals. In cooperation with EuroNatur Fapas focuses on improving this situation. Specifically putting up beehives is only one part of the job, planting fruit-bearing trees in important bear territories and putting down carcasses is also essential work. This is what’s happening at the El Coronel finca which Fapas bought for this purpose a few years ago.
Fapas developed a bear-proof beehive with a concrete shield to protect the heart of the bee colony from the hungry predators. This is necessary because otherwise the bears would plunder the beehives completely and thereby destroy their food source.
Learn more about the projects to protect Spanish brown bears