Brown Bear Under Threat: WWF-Ukraine Calls to Preserve Migration Corridors of the “Master of the Carpathians”

The brown bear — one of Europe’s most iconic large carnivores — remains a threatened species in Ukraine, with a population of only around 300 individuals. Fragmentation of habitats, expanding transport infrastructure, intensive forest use and the loss of natural areas are among the major factors putting this species at risk.

Key challenges:

• historical overhunting;
• construction of roads, railways and barriers that cut migration routes;
• expansion of settlements and farmland;
• deforestation and shrinking intact forest landscapes.

Brown bears require extensive natural territories:

• a male’s home range in the Eastern Carpathians averages 630 km²,
• a female’s territory can reach up to 70 km²,
• basic ecological space per individual is around 37 km².

WWF-Ukraine is launching a communication campaign to raise awareness of large carnivores — the brown bear, lynx, and wolf — and highlight the importance of uninterrupted ecological corridors. Climate change, shrinking natural habitats and the destruction of migration routes are threatening the long-term survival of these species across the Carpathians and wider Europe.

ForestConnect: A Systemic Response for the Carpathians and the Danube Region.

The ForestConnect project (Interreg Danube Region) aims to create climate-resilient forest corridors for large carnivores across the Balkan–Carpathian–Dinaric region.

Project regions include:

-       Bulgaria–Serbia: Northwest State Forestry Enterprise & “Stara Planina” Nature Park;

-       Romania–Ukraine: Apuseni–Maramureș region & the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve;

-       Slovakia: “Slovak Paradise” National Park;

-       Montenegro: “Durmitor”, “Biogradska Gora” and “Prokletije” National Parks.

Three main objectives:

1. Integrating innovative tools for transboundary monitoring of forest landscapes.
2. Strengthening diversity, connectivity and climate resilience of forests.
3. Building human capacity and cooperation across ecological regions.

The project unites 15 organisations from seven countries, including NGOs, forest agencies, national parks, universities and local communities.

IDR Comment

Maintaining ecological corridors in the Carpathians is crucial for preserving biodiversity in the wider Danube Basin. The Carpathians serve as a key ecological backbone connecting natural landscapes from the Alps to the Balkans.

For Ukraine, participation in ForestConnect strengthens its integration into EU-wide ecological networks and aligns with the European Biodiversity Strategy and green infrastructure principles.

The Institute of Danube Research emphasises that preserving Carpathian corridors is also essential for:

-       sustainable tourism,

-       ecological stability,

-       cross-border cooperation,

-       the country’s progress toward EU environmental standards.