- At least 64 bears were identified in the Tatra National Park.
- DNA analysis revealed 38 females, 24 males and two undetermined individuals.
- More than 80% of the Polish bear population regularly crosses national borders.
Scientists in Poland’s Tatra National Park (TPN) recorded at least 64 brown bear individuals, which represents an increase compared to previous estimates from 2017 and 2013. This follows from the latest genetic analyses, the Warsaw news agency TASR reports, according to the PAP agency.
The research was carried out by the Institute of Nature Protection of the Polish Academy of Sciences for TPN based on the collection of fur and droppings samples from March to October 2023. DNA laboratory analysis made it possible to create genetic profiles of individual animals and determine their sex. Scientists identified 38 females and 24 males, in two cases the gender could not be determined.
In total, it was possible to determine 64 unique genotypes and thus the minimum data on the number of bears in the TPN territory. The results also include individuals migrating between countries, as according to telemetry data, more than 80 percent of the population in Poland shows cross-border movement.
The authors of the study pointed out that the actual number of bears may be higher. Not all collected samples provided genetic material of sufficient quality for a complete analysis, which makes it impossible to accurately determine the total population.
The first genetic survey of the number of bears in the Tatras was carried out in 2013, when scientists registered 45 individuals. At that time, approximately 15 of them lived permanently on the Polish side of the mountain range, and others moved between Poland and Slovakia. In 2017, there were 56 of them. Even then, research pointed to seasonal migrations and high genetic diversity.
