Brown bear spotted in Galicia for first time in 150 years

Producer Felipe Lage from Zeitun Films had set up cameras in the Ourensán Central Massif to get location shots for the forthcoming movie Montaña ou Morte ('Mountain or Death'), directed by Pela del Álamo, so as to limit his physical presence on scene during lockdown.

The cameras caught 'repeated' shots of the same brown bear in various parts of the Os Montes do Invernadeiro National Park in the province of Ourense.

It was hoped they would pick up footage of wildlife for the film – which is now at the development stage thanks to a grant from the Galicia culture industries agency AGADIC – and, in fact, Zeitun Films had sought guidance from regional government environmental experts to make sure they did.

But everyone involved was stunned to see the bear, who is thought to be the first of his species to set foot in the province in the last 150 years.

It is said to be a male, aged between three and five, likely to have originated from the western part of Ourense in the O Courel area, and will 'probably' settle down in the O Invernadeiro mountains where he is based now for the whole of the winter.

Brown bears have been a protected species in Spain since 1973 and, in Galicia, their presence is documented throughout history – although they were rare and sightings were intermittent.

They are not thought to have been seen in the region since around the year 1870.

The above photograph was given to the Galicia regional government by Zeitun Films.