Life DinPin Bear
Project
The LIFE DinPin Bear project (LIFE24-NAT-DE-LIFE DinPin Bear/101214048) aims to implement a comprehensive population-wide conservation strategy for the brown bear across the Dinaric Alps–Pindos range.
The project is implemented in nine countries, three of which are members of the European Union: Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina / Republika Srpska), Greece, Kosovo*, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.
LIFE DinPin Bear brings together a multidisciplinary partnership of 21 organisations, including universities and research institutions, national and local authorities, and environmental NGOs.
The Dinaric-Pindos brown bear (Ursus arctos) population is distributed across the nine project countries: Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina/Republika Srpska), Greece, Kosovo*, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. With approximately 4,000 individuals. This is the European brown bear population spanning the largest number of countries, making its management particularly challenging while highlighting the need for coordinated conservation efforts.
The three European Union member states (Croatia, Slovenia, and Greece) have previously implemented effective management practices that contributed to the recovery of bear populations. However, the long-term viability of these populations is now being questioned, as human–bear conflicts continue to pose significant management challenges and the species’ habitats continue to be threatened.
The status of the brown bear in non-EU countries is less well understood, since comprehensive brown bear management plans are often lacking or, where they exist, are not yet fully implemented. These issues are further exacerbated by the absence of coordinated population-level and transboundary management.
The LIFE DinPin Bear project focuses on creating the legal, institutional, and socio-economic conditions necessary to ensure the conservation of the brown bear population in the Dinaric Alps–Pindos range.
By strengthening cooperation across borders and promoting practical coexistence measures, LIFE DinPin Bear aims to secure a viable future for one of Europe’s most important brown bear populations.
The project is built around five main pillars:
1. Reducing habitat fragmentation and reversing the decline of bear populations
2. Reducing human–bear conflicts and promoting practical coexistence solutions for local communities
3. Strengthening legal and institutional frameworks for monitoring and managing bear populations
4. Enhancing and harmonizing transnational cooperation in management
5. Building long-term support among key stakeholder groups to ensure the long-term conservation of the species
The project is built around five main pillars:
Funding
The project started in January 2026 and will run until June 2031. With a total budget of €9,426,977.15, it is co-funded by the European Union under the LIFE Programme (75%), while the remaining 25% is contributed by the project partners.
The project in Greece is partially co-funded by the Green Fund.
