• Version
• Download 9
• File Size 237.93 KB
• Create Date 1 January 2003
• Download

Since 1990, wildlife biologists in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) have used capture and on-site release as the primary management technique to reduce recurrence of nuisance activity by American black bears (Ursus americanus). On-site release involves the capture and immobilization of bears that frequent developed areas, collection of biological data, and subsequent release in the area of capture. Although several studies have documented the effectiveness of this technique to reduce recurrence of nuisance activity, survival of bears after on-site release has not been thoroughly examined. We monitored 17 black bears (9 males and 8 females) that were radiocollared and released on-site in GSMNP between May 1997 and December 1998. We estimated short-term survival (May-Dec) using the Kaplan-Meier staggered entry procedure. Survival of black bears released on-site in GSMNP was 0.88 (95% CI = 0.70-1.00). We suggest that on-site release of nuisance black bears is an appropriate technique to reduce recurrence of nuisance activity while maintaining an acceptable survival rate in GSMNP.