• Version
• Download 11
• File Size 386.64 KB
• Create Date 1 January 2002
• Download

We examined the denning ecology of female American black bears (Ursus americanus luteolus) in the upper (Inland) and lower (Coastal) Atchafalaya River Basin of south central Louisiana. We attempted 101 den visits of 35 female bears during February-March, 1992-2000. We found dens on 28 of 56 (50%) Coastal and 44 of 45 (98%) Inland attempts. We determined reproductive status on 62 (61%) den visits, but our success differed between Coastal and Inland areas (43% and 84%, respectively). The distribution of litter sizes differed between areas. We did not detect any cub abandonment. Use distribution among den types (e.g., tree, snag, ground nest, slash, stump, log, and excavated) differed between areas. We found no evidence that the distribution of den security classes differed between parturient and barren females. Using the median location error of field trials with test transmitters (206 m) as our criterion, we classified bears as stationary during the denning season if the distances of 3 consecutive locations (a location set) from their centroid were each <206 m. Of 29 denned bears, 24 had ≥1 stationary location set (classified as denned), and 16 of 117 bear seasons outside of the denning period contained ≥1 stationary location set. We classified 10 of 23 Coastal females, 6 of 19 Coastal males, 2 of 4 Inland females, and 1 of 1 Inland males of previously unknown status as denned. Based on movement data, many Coastal bears, including adult females, remained active or only bedded for short periods during winter.