During 1986-98, the denning chronology of 54 radiocollared female brown bears (Ursus arctos) was documented 112 times in central Sweden. An intensive study in 1998 investigated the predenning movement patterns of 9 females. Female brown bears spent on average 181 days in winter dens. Females that gave birth to cubs during winter spent one month longer in and at the den (196 days) than adult solitary females (168 days) or those that entered the den with cubs (161 days). Subadult females (<3 years old) spent less time in dens (163 days) than adults (183 days) and the duration of denning increased with increasing age. The mean entry date of all females was 28 October. However, significant differences in denning dates were observed depending on their reproductive status. Females that were pregnant in the fall denned earlier and emerged from the den later than females entering the den with cubs. During 1998, females moved on average 3.4 km/day. Females with cubs moved on average shorter distances than those without cubs, but from late September to date of denning, no variation in movement patterns among females in different reproductive status was found. Six weeks before female brown bears entered the den, a reduction of movements of about 5%/week was observed. In the last week before they entered the den, movements were further reduced by 40%. Female brown bears visited their den areas (1 km around the den) about once a month, which was more often than expected. Thus, we suspect that they chose a known place to den for the winter.
- Volume 12
- Issue
- Pages 37-45
- Publication Date 1 January 2001
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- File Size 486.32 KB
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