Italian bears living near villages have evolved to be smaller and less agressive

by wjSgoWPm5bWAhXBon 12/15/2025, 1:30 PMwith 73 comments

by TechnicalVaulton 12/15/2025, 4:10 PM

The selective pressure of a .338 Winchester Magnum, is not to be underestimated.

Funny thing is something similar occurs in lab mice. Where a technician is selecting a mouse for cull the more aggressive mice are more likely to be the ones selected. Problem mice who kill their littermates can ruin experiments.

by toss1on 12/20/2025, 11:47 PM

Makes sense. The more aggressive bears would be more likely to get in fights with humans, which generally turns out badly for the bear, either immediately or from being subsequently hunted down. OTOH, more cooperative bears will more likely be tolerated and even fed, like this bear (different population) who started out as a nuisance to the beekeeper[0] and now is an 'official' taste tester.

[0] https://time.com/5664393/bear-beekeeper-video/

by adev_on 12/21/2025, 8:16 AM

The legend says that after few generations, the bears developped a taste for high quality pasta.

They also refuse to eat in the trash bins of anybody that drink Cappuccino after 01:00pm in a sign of integration.

by bitwizeon 12/21/2025, 12:21 AM

Next step, they start speaking in an Italian accent, like this husky: https://m.youtube.com/shorts/Roc5WV-gBAY

by kkylinon 12/20/2025, 11:35 PM

Not just bears it seems: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/raccoons-are-show...

by jablongoon 12/21/2025, 5:35 AM

Upcoming: Selective pressure of AI coevolution leads to humans with a fear of unplugging things and the ability to sleep while sitting.

by notoranditon 12/21/2025, 9:11 AM

Like wolves that evolved into dogs. Interesting.

by Mikhail_Edoshinon 12/21/2025, 7:49 AM

Isn't it a little too fast for "evolution"?

by anothernewdudeon 12/20/2025, 11:10 PM

Oh right, the animal.

by naianon 12/15/2025, 5:12 PM

Looking forward to bears being domesticated.

by Santosh83on 12/21/2025, 1:30 AM

When will humans evolve to be less aggressive before we devolve into catastrophic collapse?