Sloth bear denning behavior in eastern Karnataka, India
Eastern Karnataka, India, has abundant sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) habitat made up of rocky scrub jungle and an abundance of naturally occurring caves, which the bears use for resting (day) and natal or neonatal dens. We deployed cameras on active dens from 2014 to 2018 and collected sloth bear resting and maternal denning behavior. We […]
Denning black bear response to anthropogenic disturbance and implications for cub survival in Florida
Wildlife research and management can be disruptive to wildlife. By advancing our understanding of the impacts of these activities, we can reduce adverse effects, improve decision-making, and enhance the outcomes of research and management. During 2017–2019, we observed the responses of denning female American black bears (Ursus americanus) to 3 types of routine research and […]
Bonding behavior of sister brown bears with different-aged offspring
This paper documents and describes the behavior of 2 sibling female brown bears (Ursus arctos) and their cubs as they bonded at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. Between mid- August and October 2022 the adult female bears and their cubs behaved much like a single family. The same-aged mothers each had a […]
Changing the narrative on human–bear conflicts by standardizing bear management terms
Human–wildlife interactions and conflicts are increasing in many parts of the world. The ability of North American wildlife agencies to accurately record information about human–wildlife conflict and then share and compare those data is important for agency conservation efforts, inter-agency communications, and public messaging. Agency bear managers and researchers record human–bear conflict data and depend […]
Harvest-based demographic estimation of a brown bear population on the Oshima Peninsula, Hokkaido
We constructed a population dynamic model using demographic parameters with uncertainties by using long-term harvest data and estimated population dynamics of brown bears (Ursus arctos) on the Oshima Peninsula, Hokkaido, Japan, from 1968 to 2021 with population trend indicators obtained by forest sign survey and an upper population limit calculated by extrapolating an estimated density […]
Documentation of an Asiatic black bear preying on a living sika deer caught in a leg-hold snare trap
Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) rarely prey on living adult deer. We report video documentation, obtained May 2024, of a bear subduing and killing a sika deer (Cervus nippon) that was captured in a leg-hold snare trap, then staying in the area for repeated feeding visits. Leg-hold snare traps for deer capture are widely used […]
Grizzly bear behavior in south-central Alaska: Use of a hidden Markov model to assess behavior
Attempts to understand wildlife population dynamics and implement management practices benefit from understanding animal behavior traits. In Alaska, USA, grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) behavior is important to understand because the species is an apex predator, exerts top-down population effects, and is a cornerstone species across complex landscapes. Our objectives were to examine how environmental and […]
Factors affecting body weight fluctuation in free-ranging Asian black bears
The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) shows seasonal changes in body weight, activity level, and range use. However, there is little information available on these factors in individuals in the wild. We documented the body weights of free-ranging Asian black bears from spring to autumn, 2017 to 2019, in the Nikko-Ashio Mountains, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, […]
Possible sexually selected infanticide by polar bears in western Hudson Bay
Infanticide occurs in a diversity of taxa and may provide benefits to the perpetrator through nutritional gain, reduced competition, or increased fitness from mating opportunities through sexually selected infanticide (SSI). Infanticide, however, is rarely observed. We documented a probable infanticide event by a 23-year-old adult male polar bear (Ursus maritimus) on a 3-month-old cub in […]
Denning ecology of an at-risk American black bear population in a unique habitat on the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
The American black bear (Ursus americanus) population on the Bruce Peninsula in southern Ontario, Canada, is small (∼300 bears), genetically isolated from the closest bears in other parts of Ontario because of geography and urban development, and it is at risk because of habitat loss. The Bruce Peninsula is underlain by dolostone, and soils over […]