In response to a dramatic increase in visitation and in problems with grizzly and black bears (Ursus arctos, U. americanus) during the 1970s, Denali National Park and Preserve implemented a comprehensive bear-human conflict management plan in 1982. The components of Denali's bear-human conflict management plan include visitor education, food-storage regulations, backcountry closures, and experimental aversive conditioning. Prior to the opening of a paved highway to the National Park in 1972, reports of bear-inflicted injuries, property damage, and bears obtaining anthropogenic food averaged <1/year. In 1982, 40 such incidents occurred. After implementation of the bear-human conflict management plan, incidents decreased steadily until 1988 when 9 occurred, a decrease of 77%. Incidents in which bears obtained anthropogenic food decreased from 23 in 1982 to 1 in 1989, a decrease of 96%. A recent slight increase in incidents (all types) may reflect the activities of either a few bears before they were removed or aversively conditioned, or bears which were never subjected to management actions. Since 1984, aversive conditioning was conducted on 2 black bears and 9 grizzly bears. In 8 of these cases, the bears avoided test camps and did not cause further problems during the season aversive conditioning occurred. Four of the bears aversively conditioned in the backcountry stayed away from camps for at least 2 years. Bears successfully broke into bear-resistant food containers in 12 of 55 attempts since 1979, due to improperly latched or defective lids and overfilled containers. There have been no reports of bears breaking into the newest model of bear-resistant food container. This work updates previous analyses of bear-human conflict in Denali National Park and Preserve.
- Volume 10
- Issue
- Pages 395-403
- Publication Date 1 January 1998
- DOI
- File Size 325.64 KB
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