Marsican brown bear

Common card · No. 260795

The Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos, formerly Ursus arctos marsicanus), also known as the Apennine brown bear, is a critically endangered population of the Eurasian brown bear, with a range restricted to the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise, and the surrounding region in Italy. The Marsican brown bear differs slightly from other brown bears in its appearance and hibernation techniques. The bear's popular name is derived from Marsica, a historic area of the modern-day region of Abruzzo where the bear has long had a significant presence. With their existence dwindling, the Italian government has recently begun to stress their conservation. The park has become a sanctuary dedicated to animals such as the Marsican brown bear, with hopes of rekindling the large, yet isolative bears' once-thriving existence. Debate exists as to whether it should be considered a subspecies or a taxon of its own.

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