https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:5275 High Habitat Potential but Limited Connectivity for Brown Bears Throughout Europe van den Bosch, Merijn Merijn van den Bosch 0000-0001-6750-5079 De Barba, Marta Marta De Barba Zedrosser, Andreas Andreas Zedrosser Selva, Nuria Nuria Selva Balkenhol, Niko Niko Balkenhol Maiorano, Luigi Luigi Maiorano 0000-0002-2957-8979 Renaud, Julien Julien Renaud Simcic, Gregor Gregor Simcic Graciarena, Ainhoa Ainhoa Graciarena Frank, Shane C. Shane C. Frank Hertel, Anne G. Anne G. Hertel Parres, Aida Aida Parres Ambarlı, Hüseyin Hüseyin Ambarlı Bashta, Andriy‐Taras Andriy‐Taras Bashta Bragalanti, Natalia Natalia Bragalanti Brøseth, Henrik Henrik Brøseth Chynoweth, Mark Mark Chynoweth Ćirović, Duško Duško Ćirović Ciucci, Paolo Paolo Ciucci Domokos, Csaba Csaba Domokos Dutsov, Aleksandar Aleksandar Dutsov Ertürk, Alper Alper Ertürk Fedorca, Ancuta Ancuta Fedorca Fedorca, Mihai Mihai Fedorca Filacorda, Stefano Stefano Filacorda Finďo, Slavomir Slavomir Finďo Fumagalli, Luca Luca Fumagalli de Gabriel Hernando, Miguel Miguel de Gabriel Hernando 0000-0002-8722-6146 Groff, Claudio Claudio Groff Hagen, Snorre B. Snorre B. Hagen Hoxha, Bledi Bledi Hoxha Huber, Djuro Djuro Huber Huitu, Otso Otso Huitu Ionescu, Georgeta Georgeta Ionescu Ionescu, Ovidiu Ovidiu Ionescu Jerina, Klemen Klemen Jerina Karamanlidis, Alexandros A. Alexandros A. Karamanlidis Kindberg, Jonas Jonas Kindberg Kojola, Ilpo Ilpo Kojola Kopatz, Alexander Alexander Kopatz 0000-0002-9139-1179 Krajmerová, Diana Diana Krajmerová López‐Bao, José Vicente José Vicente López‐Bao Männil, Peep Peep Männil Mertzanis, Yorgos Yorgos Mertzanis Molinari‐Jobin, Anja Anja Molinari‐Jobin Molinari, Paolo Paolo Molinari Mustoni, Andrea Andrea Mustoni Naves, Javier Javier Naves Ogurtsov, Sergey Sergey Ogurtsov Özüt, Deniz Deniz Özüt Palazon, Santiago Santiago Palazon Pasic, Jasmin Jasmin Pasic Paule, Ladislav Ladislav Paule Paunović, Milan Milan Paunović Perovic, Aleksandar Aleksandar Perovic Pesaro, Stefano Stefano Pesaro Piminov, Vladimir Vladimir Piminov Pop, Mihai I. Mihai I. Pop Psaralexi, Maria Maria Psaralexi Quenette, Pierre Yves Pierre Yves Quenette Rauer, Georg Georg Rauer University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Reljic, Slaven Slaven Reljic Revilla, Eloy Eloy Revilla Saarma, Urmas Urmas Saarma Saveljev, Alexander Alexander Saveljev Sayar, Ali Onur Ali Onur Sayar Sekercioglu, Cagan Cagan Sekercioglu Sergiel, Agnieszka Agnieszka Sergiel Skrbinsek, Tomaz Tomaz Skrbinsek Skuban, Michaela Michaela Skuban Soyumert, Anil Anil Soyumert Stojanov, Aleksandar Aleksandar Stojanov Tirronen, Konstantin Konstantin Tirronen Trajçe, Aleksandër Aleksandër Trajçe 0000-0002-6815-7421 Trbojević, Igor Igor Trbojević Trbojević, Tijana Tijana Trbojević Zięba, Filip Filip Zięba Zlatanova, Diana Diana Zlatanova Zwijacz‐Kozica, Tomasz Tomasz Zwijacz‐Kozica Belant, Jerrold L. Jerrold L. Belant Wiley journal article open access eng Aim Large carnivores worldwide have experienced substantial range contractions due to human activities, though several species are recolonising parts of their historical range. We aimed to assess current and potential European brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) habitat as well as habitat connectivity on a continental scale. Location The extended biogeographical regions of Europe, spanning from Portugal to central Russia, longitudinally, and from Norway to Türkiye, latitudinally. Excluding inland seas; this area covers 11,151,636 km2. Methods We assessed habitat suitability throughout the study area using an ensemble species distribution model with nine submodels, using data from 10 European bear populations and Türkiye. We used the resulting habitat suitability maps to conduct a least-cost path connectivity analysis and an omnidirectional circuit connectivity analysis. Main Conclusions Habitat suitability was strongly associated with low percentages of agricultural cover, low percentages of human development, and proximity to forest. Of our entire study area, 37% (4.09 million km2) is occupied or potentially suitable for bears. Connectivity analyses identified corridors that could facilitate movement among southern European bear populations, though agricultural land and human development limit connectivity between northern and southern European bear populations. Previous research estimated bears occupied 0.5 million km2 across the European Union, while our results estimate 1.82 million km2 of this part of our study area is potentially suitable for bears, though connectivity is limited. Our results inform conservation strategies and policy development for the future of brown bears in Europe, emphasising the need for transboundary conservation efforts. Habitat Connectivity Habitat Suitability Large Carnivore Recolonisation Species Distribution Model Ursus Arctos http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:5275/download 10.1111/ddi.70130 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Diversity and Distributions issn:1366-9516 VoR Diversity and Distributions 32 1 14.58 MB 2026