Literature from Eurasia was reviewed for information to test the hypothesis that hunting of brown bears (Ursus arctos) makes them more wary of humans. The results were not rigorous enough to test the hypothesis scientifically. However, the common impressions were that bears are more wary of humans where they are hunted than where they are protected and that bears remained wary in several low-density populations that had been protected for a long time. In spite of this, bears in several increasing populations that were hunted became less wary. Use of human-derived food was involved when wariness toward humans was lost and appeared to be a more important factor influencing wariness than hunting. I tentatively conclude that accessible human-derived foods for bears must be controlled to maintain the bears' wariness toward people. When this has been done, hunting may contribute to increasing bears' wariness. This subject requires that more research and scientific experiments be conducted, because people are more willing to accept wary bears.
- Volume 11
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- Pages 157-162
- Publication Date 1 January 1999
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- File Size 219.15 KB
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