Conservation of Balkan Chamois and European Bear in Bulgaria

The Project "Conservation of Balkan Chamois and Brown bear in Bulgaria (outside the area of national and nature parks and reserves) by implementing the components of Action plans for the Bear and Chamois in Bulgaria is carried out with financial support of European Fund for Regional Development of the European Union and the state budget of the Republic of Bulgaria through the Operational Programme Environment 2007 - 2013"

The main objective is protection and restoration of the Bear and Chamois in Bulgaria and reduce of the poaching. Yearly in Bulgaria illegally are killed over 500 chamois and more than 50 bears. Reducing this mortality is essential for long-term survival of these two species.

Project activities include:
• Organization of 30 meetings to coordinate activities to implement the Action Plan for Chamois and Bear in Devin, Smolyan, Velingrad, Pazardzhik and others.
• Organize controls under recommendations from the workshops, such as poaching of signals.
• Installing GPS GSM collars to 5 Chamois, which will transmit information about the movements from the Western Rhodopes, to investigate the migration of animals.
• Assess opportunities for reintroduction of the Chamois in suitable habitats in Western and Eastern Stara Planina, Osogovo and Slavyanka Mountains.
• Study of trophy hunting at the Hunting Societies and Forestry companies and the population status of the Chamois.
• Preparation of a GIS model of the Chamois distribution.
• Study of the illegal hunting within the hunting areas of the Hunting Societies around the three national parks and sanctuaries in the Rhodopes.
• Coordination of control activities between the Greek National Park Rodopi and Bulgarian institutions - RFB Smolyan, Devin Hunting Society
• Information campaign for the implementation of action plans and combat poaching.
• Study the influence of parasitic and infectious diseases on populations of Chamois.
• Measures to reduce conflict "Man – Bear”. Study the impact of waste on the creation of problem bears and prevention measures.
• Analysis of fragmentation and level of fitness of bio corridors between sub-populations of the bear.

Duration: August 2009 - August 2012

Budget: 578,832 BGN

Project Partners: Balkani Society, Hunting and fishing company Devin and Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water - Pazardjik.