Bear alarm in Friuli: family flees from hungry brown bear!

Bear alarm in Friuli: family flees from hungry brown bear!

In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the return of brown bears is causing both excitement and concern. Reported today exxpress.at that between five and ten brown bears live in the region, most of them come from Slovenia. This is the result of years of efforts to conserve and manage the bear population. A frightening encounter recently took place when a family near Udine, while out for a walk, suddenly came face to face with a bear running towards them from a cornfield.

The incident, which happened a few days ago, fortunately ended lightly as the family was able to escape to their house in time, reports kosmo.at. This shocking moment underscores the potential dangers associated with the bears' return. Professor Stefano Filacorda from the University of Udine, who leads a bear population survey project, is aware of these challenges. Some of the bears have been fitted with GPS collars to track their movements and improve the monitoring system.

Bear population and monitoring

There have been no female bears in the region for over 50 years. The last sighting of a female bear was in Tarvisio in 1970. Male bears, on the other hand, have been proven to be active in the province of Udine. They come to the region for a few months and then usually return to Slovenia. This migration is part of the natural behavior of male bears, which can travel long distances. It is currently being observed that the bear population is being recorded using monitoring methods such as camera traps and GPS tracking. A bear spotted in Tarcento has already been identified as a male.

The regional government of Friuli-Venezia Giulia also adopted an updated wildlife plan in August 2025, which provides for a comprehensive assessment and monitoring of the bear population. Monitoring is intended to help record populations and take the right measures to minimize potential conflicts between humans and animals.

International challenges in bear protection

Brown bears face major challenges not only in Italy but also in other parts of Europe. A project on the monitoring and management of brown bears in the northern Dinaric Mountains and the Alps aims to promote the return and expansion of the bear population. To this end, transnational measures are being taken to reduce conflicts between humans and bears. An important aspect of the project is the development of non-lethal solutions to mitigate human-bear conflicts and promote peaceful coexistence.

Despite all efforts, the chance of a permanent settlement of bears in Friuli remains low as long as there are no female bears that could contribute to the population expansion. Protecting brown bears and creating suitable conditions for their return are complex tasks that require close cooperation at regional and international levels.