Effects of sampling scale on American black bear spatial genetic structure
Sampling bias can lead to erroneous interpretations of spatial genetic structure that can subsequently impact conservation efforts and management decisions. Genetic sampling of rare and elusive species can be challenging and, by necessity, samples are often collected opportunistically from multiple sources that could differ in spatial dispersion and timing of collection. Here we quantified the […]
Gobi bear abundance and inter-oases movements, Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Brown bears (Ursus arctos) inhabit much of the northern hemisphere, including portions of North America, Europe, and Asia. Whereas northern populations generally are healthy, their distribution becomes fragmented and conservation status more tenuous in their southern range. Many fragmented populations across southern Asia are poorly understood, and abundance and distribution data are minimal. One such […]
Resource selection by recolonizing American black bears in a fragmented forest landscape
Following functional extirpation in Missouri, American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in this state have been increasing in recent years through recolonization from reestablished populations in northern Arkansas. To increase our understanding of resource selection by recolonizing black bears in the Ozark Highlands of the United States, we attached Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitters to […]
Abundance and density estimation of the American black bear population in central Georgia
The Central Georgia Population (CGP) is the least abundant and most geographically isolated American black bear (Ursus americanus) population in Georgia, USA. We used DNA-based spatially explicit capture-recapture techniques to estimate density and abundance of bears in the CGP. We sampled bear hair over 2 8-week periods during the summers of 2012 and 2013 and […]
Predicting harvest vulnerability for a recovering population of American black bears in western Maryland
Recreational hunting is the tool most commonly used to manage American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in North America. However, bear populations can be sensitive to overharvest, particularly of mature females that can directly affect population growth. Managers need a thorough understanding of the factors affecting harvest vulnerability when using hunting as a primary management […]
Validation of mercury tip-switch and accelerometer activity sensors for identifying resting and active behavior in bears
Activity sensors are often included in wildlife transmitters and can provide information on the behavior and activity patterns of animals remotely. However, interpreting activity-sensor data relative to animal behavior can be difficult if animals cannot be continuously observed. In this study, we examined the performance of a mercury tip-switch and a tri-axial accelerometer housed in […]
Home range, movements, and activity patterns of a brown bear in Serbia
We present satellite telemetry data for a subadult brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Serbia, documenting movements and activity for 273 days (Apr 2007 to Jan 2008). Average of daily movements was 4.29 (±2.99 SD) km. The longest daily movement was recorded in June (15.62 km), while the largest home range was recorded in May-June (1,060.9 […]
American black bear population abundance and genetic structure on an island archipelago
American black bears (Ursus americanus) occur on numerous islands within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Lake Superior, Wisconsin, USA, and provide an opportunity to better understand patterns in abundance and genetic structure among island populations. In 2002 and 2010, we derived genotypes from DNA obtained from hair samples collected at hair traps to estimate […]
Do innate food preferences and learning affect crop raiding by American black bears?
American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations have been expanding geographically, in part because bears are learning to exploit agricultural landscapes where crops provide an easy and calorically rich foraging opportunity. Consequently, crop depredation has become a growing problem for farmers and wildlife managers. Bears may raid crops because of insufficient natural foods, a drive to […]
Modeling multi-scale resource selection for bear rubs in northwestern Montana
Both black (Ursus americanus) and grizzly bears (U. arctos) are known to rub on trees and other objects, producing a network of repeatedly used and identifiable rub sites. In 2012, we used a resource selection function to evaluate hypothesized relationships between locations of 887 bear rubs in northwestern Montana, USA, and elevation, slope angle, density […]
