• Version
• Download 11
• File Size 270.72 KB
• Create Date 1 January 1983
• Download

The temporal distribution of activity and rest over the 24-hour cycle is characteristic of a species and, to some extent, a function of the environment. Parameters of this distribution could possibly be used to estimate the stress on a given animal population. To measure the diel activity pattern of the last brown bears (Ursus arctos) of the Alps, which live in a relatively densely populated area (70 human inhabitants/km2) in northern Italy, 3 bears were equipped with radio collars. The bears were active about 50% of their time. Pooled hourly data for the proportion of telemetry readings showing bear activity were combined, through an iterative procedure based on a succession of chi-square values, into 5 diel periods showing significant (P < 0.01) differences. The basic pattern of diel activity was found to be bimodal with the major activity peak in the evening from 1800 to 2300 hours and a secondary peak in the early morning between 0500 and 0800. The main rest period was in the late morning from 0800 to 1300. However, the variability of the activity schedule, even of the same individual from day to day, was large; bears could be found active at any time of the day.