Procedures to Enhance the Success of a Black Bear Reintroduction Program

January 1, 1997
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Black bears (Ursus americanus) were extirpated from the Big South Fork area (BSFA) of Kentucky and Tennessee around the turn of this century. We developed a habitat suitability index (HSI) model to study the feasibility of a black bear reintroduction into this area. We applied the HSI model to the BSFA and identified high- and low-quality habitat components, their spatial distribution, and their projected change over time. Potential for human influences seems to be the weakest aspect of the BSFA as a successful reintroduction location. In conjunction with the habitat analysis, we developed a detailed release protocol, identifying factors that may further increase the probability of reintroduction success. Our approach could apply to other bear species and geographic areas because of the flexible structure of HSI models and acceptance of various types of data.

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