FPWC, in partnership with the regional municipality, has established a Rapid Response Group comprising rangers and specialists to address bear-related incidents. This team swiftly mitigates risks, gathers data on attack numbers and species behavior, and documents cases through photos and videos. They also monitor intruding bears using camera traps and work closely with local stakeholders to investigate the root causes of human-bear conflicts.
FPWC's pilot supplemental feeding program reduces bear attacks during peak conflict seasons in spring and autumn. Following international standards and the Bern Convention’s guidelines, FPWC provides fruits from May to June and October to November, keeping bears away from communities while supporting local farmers through direct fruit purchases.
Since 2016, FPWC has restored degraded lands in the Ararat and Vayots Dzor regions by planting site-specific fruit trees and high-conservation-value species. With 500,000 trees covering five hectares, this initiative offers a sustainable food source for wildlife and communities, helping reduce human-bear conflicts.
FPWC engages local communities through meetings, education, and awareness initiatives to promote coexistence with wildlife. Over the past five years, it has donated around 40 electric fences to protect beehives and livestock, effectively reducing bear attacks and preventing conflicts.
Effective Mitigation of human-bear conflicts is essential for fostering coexistence and preserving Armenia’s delicate ecological balance.
For centuries, humans and wildlife have shared landscapes, shaping each other’s existence in profound ways. From ancient civilizations that revered wild animals to modern societies striving to protect them, our relationship with nature has always been complex. However, as human populations expand and natural habitats shrink, these interactions are becoming more frequent—and more challenging.
According to the IUCN, the term human-wildlife conflict has traditionally referred only to negative interactions between people and wildlife. However, this definition overlooks conflicts among different human groups over how to address the issue.
In Armenia, human-wildlife conflict is intensifying, particularly in the Vayots Dzor region, where human-bear interactions have become a major conservation concern. Despite being the least densely populated province in the country, Vayots Dzor experiences the highest frequency and severity of human-bear conflicts. Brown bears frequently enter villages, damaging orchards, raiding beehives, killing livestock, and destroying private property. Encounters with humans are also reported in forested and alpine zones, where locals engage in seasonal activities such as gathering herbs, fruits, seeds, and mushrooms or grazing livestock.
Despite the urgency of the issue, scientific research on human-bear conflict in Armenia remains limited. The exact reasons why bears venture into villages are still not fully understood. However, official data from the past five years indicates that such incidents are becoming more frequent and severe, leading to significant economic losses for local communities.
The Brown bear (Ursus arctos) is one of the most threatened carnivore species in Armenia, classified as Vulnerable in the Red Data Book of Armenia. The species faces serious threats due to habitat loss and degradation caused by human activities, including illegal hunting, poaching, and trapping. Additionally, bear cubs are often captured from the wild and kept as pets, further endangering their population.
Human-induced land-use changes, such as mining, intensive agriculture (vineyards, orchards), and uncontrolled livestock grazing, are key drivers of both human-bear conflict and species decline. Moreover, the illegal hunting and poaching of endangered ungulates intensify food competition, pushing bears to seek alternative food sources in human settlements—escalating conflicts even further.
Through collaboration with local stakeholders, continuous monitoring, and public education, FPWC aims to create harmony between people and wildlife, ensuring the survival of both.
These actions were possible with the support of Bears in Mind and the UK government through Darwin Initiative.
