Ecology and Behavior of 3 Wild Orphaned Brown Bear Cubs in Spain
We monitored 3 wild brown bear (Ursus arctos) cubs orphaned in July 1991 (approximately 6 months old) in the Cantabrian Mountains over autumn, denning, and den emergence periods, totalling 57 observation days and more than 113 hours time-in-sight. Their diet followed that reported in bear diet studies from the area and included items unknown to […]
Denning of Brown Bears in Croatia
Twenty-eight dens of 15 different European brown bears (Ursus arctos) were located, monitored and measured during 1981-92. Ten of them were used by females with cubs, 9 by single females, 5 by males, and 4 by bears of unknown category. Occasionally bears used >1 den in the same winter (4 bears used 2-5 dens, mean […]
Procedures to Enhance the Success of a Black Bear Reintroduction Program
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 […]
Geographic Information System for the Analysis of Cantabrian Brown Bear Habitat Quality
A small study area (4,029 ha) was used to build a model of potential brown bear (Ursus arctos) habitat quality. In a first step, based on existing data of bear diets and the calculated coverage of food-producing plants, we established a series of food selection indices. Foods with the highest selection indices for bears included […]
Historical and Present Status of the Asiatic Black Bear in Northeast China
I review the past and present status of the Asiatic black bear (Selenarctos thibetanus) in Northeast China, their change in number and geographical distribution, and the cause of those changes. This paper also introduces the practice of breeding bears in captivity in northeast China.
The Brown Bear in the Central Pyrenees: Its Decline and Present Situation
This brief account summarizes information on the disappearance of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) from the central Pyrenees, 1 of 2 areas occupied by this species in France. This paper reviews the status and ecology of the species as determined since 1985.
Dynamics of Brown Bear Range and Status of Isolated Populations in European Russia, Western Siberia and Adjacent Countries
The brown bear (Ursus arctos) population in Russia is approximately 130,000 animals, the largest population of this species remaining in the world. While the eastern part of brown bear range probably has not changed significantly for ages, the western part, especially that in the European part of the country, has been dramatically reduced compared with […]
The Brown Bear in the French Pyrenees: Distribution, Size, and Dynamics of the Population from 1988 to 1992
Since the middle ages the brown bear (Ursus arctos) has occurred throughout the Pyrenees Mountains. In the mid-eastern portion of the Pyrenees, brown bears may already have been eliminated. A small relict population occupies a very restricted range in the area of the Pyrénées Atlantiques. This population has been monitored since 1978, and since 1983, […]
The Expanding Brown Bear Population of Slovenia: A Chance for Bear Recovery in the Southeastern Alps
Slovenia is the northwestern edge of the Balcano-Dinaric brown bear (Ursus arctos) population area. A viable population of about 250 bears inhabits a core management area in southcentral Slovenia. A smaller population, established by bears emigrating from the core area toward the northwest, exists in adjacent border areas of Slovenia, Austria and Italy. Interstate cooperation […]
Population Viability Analysis Computer Model of Giant Panda Population in Wuyipeng, Wolong Natural Reserve, China
The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) population in Wuyipeng is a well-protected, well-studied population, and many parameters for population viability analysis (PVA) computer modeling are available. We used Vortex software (Version 5.1) to model the conservation status of the Wuyipeng giant panda population. The initial population size modeled was 25 in 1981 at Wuyipeng, with a […]