Observations of a Denning-Related Dermatitis in American Black Bears
We describe symptoms and prevalence of an undiagnosed dermatitis in American black bears (Ursus americanus), characterized by alopecia and edema of the head, neck, and thorax. The dermatitis was primarily associated with hibernation: observed during 23% of 358 den handlings (excluding cubs), but
Status and Distribution of Sun Bears in Manipur, India
Published literature would suggest that the distribution of sun bears (Ursus malayanus) in India does not extend northward into Manipur province. Based on interviews in the Ukhrul and Chandel districts and Yangaoupokpi Lokchao wildlife sanctuary, Manipur, during 2004-05, we provide evidence that small population are still extant in Manipur.
Cub Adoption by a Translocated Louisiana Black Bear
We documented the adoption of a cub by a female Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) after the cub was apparently abandoned by its biological mother. The adoption and presumed abandonment took place in a reintroduced population and involved recently translocated bears. We are unaware of previous published descriptions of free ranging female black bears […]
Use of a Garbage Dump by Brown Bears in Dillingham, Alaska
We studied brown bear (Ursus arctos) use of a garbage dump in Dillingham, Alaska, USA, in 1997 prior to an impending dump closure. During the summers of 1991-96, incidental observations of bears at the dump indicated 40-80 individuals fed there. Seventy brown bears used the dump from 19 May to 29 September 1997, including 25 […]
Recent Trends and Harvest in Finland’s Brown Bear Population
We examined the occurrence of brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Finland by using hunter-provided observations and harvest data for 1992-2004. We calculated a simple index (bears observed/all observation cards) from observation cards filled annually by nearly 5,000 moose hunting clubs. This occurrence index was treated as a dependent variable in a mixed regression model to […]
An Empirical Test of DNA Mark: Recapture Sampling Strategies for Grizzly Bears
Despite the widespread use of DNA mark-recapture for estimation of grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population size, there have been no designed experiments of DNA sampling strategies. We designed a large-scale study (8,820 km²) in the foothills of Alberta, Canada, to test sampling strategies associated with the hair snag DNA method. The main sampling method for […]
Detecting Genotyping Errors and Describing American Black Bear Movement in Northern Idaho
Non-invasive genetic sampling has become a favored tool to enumerate wildlife. Genetic errors, caused by poor quality samples, can lead to substantial biases in numerical estimates of individuals. We demonstrate how the computer program DROPOUT can detect amplification errors (false alleles and allelic dropout) in a black bear (Ursus americanus) dataset collected in 2003 from […]
Summer Food Habits of Brown Bears in Kekexili Nature Reserve, Qinghai: Tibetan Plateau, China
We documented food habits of brown bear (Ursus arctos) during summer 2005 in an important calving area for Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) in the Kekexili Nature Reserve, Qinghai province, China. Fecal analysis (n = 83) revealed that the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) was the primary prey (78% occurrence, 46% dry weight), and that wild yak […]
Grizzly Bear Use of Pink Hedysarum Roots following Shrubland Fire in Banff National Park, Alberta
Hedysarum (Hedysarum spp.) roots are a major food for grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) over much of their Canadian and Alaskan range. In Banff National Park, grizzly bears typically dig roots of pink hedysarum (H. alpinum) in willow (Salix glauca, S. farriae) – dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) shrubland. This shrubland type often burned in the past, […]
On the Allure of Noninvasive Genetic Sampling: Putting a Face to the Name
DNA from remotely-collected samples of hair or feces provides a means of assessing attributes of populations of wild animals, including genetic diversity, spatial distribution, patterns of habitat use, dispersal distances, population fragmentation, and population size. This technique has been called noninvasive genetic sampling, a term in common usage especially in the bear literature. It has […]
