SHORT NOTE
First described cases of cannibalism in the Brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) in Bulgaria
 
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1
Vitosha Nature Park Directorate, Sofia
 
2
Balkani Wildlife Society, 8 Dragan Tsankov Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
 
3
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
 
4
WWF Bulgaria, 147 Knyaz Boris I str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
 
5
National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; 1, Tzar Osvoboditel blvd., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
 
These authors had equal contribution to this work
 
 
Online publication date: 2026-05-13
 
 
Corresponding author
Vladimir R. Todorov   

Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
 
 
 
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ABSTRACT
Intraspecific predation or cannibalism in Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) is becoming increasingly reported in the literature. Cases of infanticidal behaviour and killing of juvenile individuals by adult males are most common, while adult-on-adult predation is rare. We report three cases of intraspecific predation or cannibalism in Bulgaria, spanning a period from 2000 to 2021. The first case (2000) involved the likely killing and partial consumption of an adult female by an adult male individual at a supplementary feeding site for game. The second (2020) was a case of infanticide where a male was directly observed consuming the carcass of a cub of the year (COY). The third (2021) was confirmed through the identification of juvenile bear body parts (claw, fur) in an adult bear’s excrement. These observations contribute to the understanding of intraspecific aggression in brown bears and highlight the importance of monitoring such behaviours in relation to food availability, population density and other environmental and behavioural variables.
eISSN:1825-5272
ISSN:0394-1914
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