Belgrade, May 28, 2026 — This week, the "Mobile Intervention Team for Wild Carnivores" project of the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, was successfully completed, which aimed to strengthen the capacity of a special team of experts for interventions with live brown bear specimens in the wild or in captivity, formally established in September last year.
The main objective of this project was to improve the mobility and equipment of the brown bear emergency intervention team in Serbia. This specialized group has a mandate to operate throughout the territory of the Republic of Serbia, especially when brown bears find themselves in potentially dangerous situations, i.e. when there is a threat to their welfare but also a potential threat to the safety of the local population. Thanks to carefully planned and implemented activities within this project, the intervention team is technically and logistically equipped to work in the field.
Equipment for rapid action in the field
The project provided a dedicated vehicle for brown bear interventions, with all the necessary features to transport equipment and team members over often challenging terrain. In addition to the knowledge and experience of the intervention team members, mobility and equipment are key components for effective action in the field. The vehicle will be used to transport up to five intervention team members and all the necessary equipment for emergency interventions. In addition, a special compartment with modular boxes has been integrated into the rear of the vehicle for equipment necessary for field work. This ensures that the intervention team is ready and on standby in case of an emergency intervention in the field.
Clearly defined work and safety
In addition to the procurement of equipment, the project also developed a special protocol for dealing with different situations, as well as a safety protocol for all intervention participants, modeled after operational protocols from EU member states that also have brown bear intervention teams.
Training for intervention team members and nature guards
A particularly important part of the project was education. Practical training was held for members of the brown bear intervention team, where, through concrete exercises and simulations, the participants had the opportunity to become thoroughly familiar with the equipment and how to use it, as well as to participate in an anaesthetic exercise and a detailed examination of the animal in cooperation with a veterinarian.
A workshop was held in Tara National Park, bringing together members of the intervention team, nature guards and representatives of hunting associations and municipalities in whose territory the brown bear is present. Through interactive lectures and practical demonstrations of equipment and procedures, participants were introduced to procedures for responding to crisis situations. The workshop was an opportunity to exchange experiences and improve mutual cooperation, which will enable even more effective protection of the brown bear in the future, but also the safety of people from the local community in areas where this large beast is naturally distributed.
A look into the future
With this project, Serbia has improved the operational readiness of a dedicated team of experts for interventions with live brown bears in the wild or in captivity, which is the first such team established at the national level. This is an important step towards successful management of the brown bear population and prevention of potential human-wildlife conflicts. The activities carried out within the framework of this project serve as an example for other initiatives aimed at ensuring the coexistence of people and endangered wild carnivores in Serbia. Based on this pilot project, plans are already being developed for future activities to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders, as well as plans for the formal expansion of the intervention team's activities in order to more effectively protect wild carnivores in Serbia.
The project "Mobile Wild Animal Intervention Unit" was implemented by the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, with co-financing from the Government of Switzerland within the framework of the "EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia" initiative. The "EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia" initiative, with technical and financial support from the European Union and in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, is implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden and the European Investment Bank (EIB), with additional financial resources provided by the governments of Sweden, Switzerland and Serbia.
