222 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



In the Pyrenees the Brown Bear, though much less abundant 

 than formerly, is still met with in the wild areas of upper Ariege 

 adjacent to Andorra, in the Hautes Pyrenees (massif of Maladetta 

 and Cirque de Gavarnie), and as far as the neighboring parts of 

 the Basses Pyrenees (Forest of Irruti, for example). It is even 

 probable that there are some bears in other parts. While it was 

 still rather common 20 or 30 years ago, it has been gradually pushed 

 back into refuges more and more restricted, where it is easily hunted, 

 so that it has become rarer and rarer during recent years. 



Its only economic importance in the Pyrenees consists in its being 

 a true game animal, its flesh being much prized in the whole region. 

 Its hide provides a good fur, but not a very valuable one. 



The bear of the Pyrenees, like that of the Alps, is the victim 

 of man's increasing penetration into the mountains, of the extension 

 of agriculture, forestry, and mining, of highways, railroads, tourist 

 traffic, and especially the sport associated with the hunting of this 

 animal. 



Protection should be provided for the Pyrenean bears as well as 

 for those of the Alps (if the latter still exist in the Forest of Vercors) . 

 Prohibition of hunting and of the sale of flesh and hides would 

 suffice to halt the steady depletion and perhaps to assure the preser- 

 vation of the species. 



According to Didier and Rode (1935, p. 268) , the last bears in the 

 Hautes-Alpes were killed at the beginning of the nineteenth century. 

 Two were killed in 1896 in the massif between La Chambre and 

 Saint-Remy (Savoie) and Allevard (Isere). 



Belgium and The Netherlands. The species no longer exists in 

 these countries (Martin, 1910, p. 38a; Ognev, 1931, p. 40). 



Germany. Blasius (1857, p. 199) reports the bear as still occur- 

 ring in the Bavarian highlands. 



The last specimens were killed in 1759 in Thuringia, in 1770 in 

 Upper Silesia, in 1810 in the Bavarian-Bohemian forests, and in 

 1835 in Frauenstein, Bavaria. In the sixteenth century the species 

 was still of frequent occurrence in Germany. When improved fire- 

 arms were introduced, the population started a real war against the 

 animal. The hide was readily sold, and bear-hunting, which in- 

 volved some danger, was considered by the upper classes as enter- 

 tainment and sport. Bounties were often paid, as the animals were 

 looked upon in many places as seriously injurious to cattle. (Inter- 

 nationale Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung des Wisents, in litt., October, 

 1936.) 



The last bear in Pomerania was killed in 1750; in the Riesenge- 

 birge about 1800. The species was still being taken in East Prussia 

 up to 1806. (Krumbiegel, 1930, p. 6.) 



