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Story summary
- A study in Molecular Biology and Evolution finds Apennine brown bears in central Italy evolved smaller and less aggressive due to close human interactions.
- The isolated Apennine population diverged from other European brown bears 2,000–3,000 years ago.
- Researchers report reduced genomic diversity and higher inbreeding, suggesting human-induced selection shaped their behavior.
- Italy and Greece's bear rebound has increased human encounters and safety concerns after incidents with aggressive bears.
