Radio-collared brown bears were studied in 2 areas, one located in northernmost Sweden, the other in the centre of the Scandinavian Peninsula on both sides of the border between Norway and Sweden. Most bears were tracked on snow in spring and radio-collared after being darted from a helicopter. When possible all bears were monitored once a week by fixed-wing aircraft. Some bears were monitored more continuously several days each week by car from forest roads. In 1984-88, 48 individual bears were radio-equipped in the project. Males used larger home ranges than females. In the northern study area 4 adult males had minimum annual ranges of 726-2,634 km2. Seven adult females in the same area used annual home ranges of 171-1,002 km2. Eight adult males in the southern study area used annual home ranges of 1,200-4,297 km2, while minimum annual home ranges of 4 adult females in the same area ranged between 254-531 km2. Bimonthly aerial monitoring would have given home ranges of both adult males and adult females of approximately 60% of those obtained by weekly monitoring. A female in the north, monitored since she was a yearling, had her first litter of cubs at 5 years of age.
- Volume 8
- Issue
- Pages 237-241
- Publication Date 1 January 1990
- DOI 10.2307/3872924
- File Size 276.49 KB
- Download