GAME MANAGEMENT UNIT 13 BROWN BEAR STUDIES

Transcription

ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME
JUNEAU,
ALASKA
GAME MANAGEMENT UNIT 13 BROWN BEAR STUDIES
Ltbr Jr"
U.!:. 10 l !
~nchoraq:, h
1
,Cl
By
Ted H. Spraker
Warren B. Ballard
and
Sterling D. Miller
STATE OF ALASKA
Jay S. Hammond, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME
Ronald 0. Skoog, Commissioner
DIVISION OF GAME
Ronald J. Somerville,
Director
Donald E. McKnight,
Research Chief
Final Report
Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration
Projects W-17-10, W-17-11, and W-21-1
; ob 4.13R with additional direct financial support
from Alaska Department of Fish and Game
(Printed February 1981)
9950~
~·
I
FINAL REPORT (RESEARCH)
I •
A
State:
Alaska
Coopera tors:
Ted S~raker, Warren Ballard , Sterling Miller,
Sterl1ng Eide, Ken Taylor
Project
Project Nos.: W-17-10 , W-17-11
and W-21-1
Job No:
Period Covered :
S/2
3§7-, 2_
._f53
1q_ 1-<f-&Jt
Title:
Job Title:
4.13R
Big Game
Investig ations
Feeding Behavio r
·of Interior
Bears
Brown
January 1, 1978 to June 30, 1980
CX)
,_
C\J
'<:t
C\J
SUMMARY
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1.!)
1.!)
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(")
(")
Thirty -eight brown bears were captured and marked by
the Alaska Departm ent of Fish and Game in Game Managem ent
Twenty- three of
Unit 13 from 9 April to 23 June, 1978.
Phencyc lidine
radio-c ollared.
were
bears
these
a Bell 206
from
hydroch loride was used to immobil ize bears
the bears
of
Eighty-o ne percent
Jet Ranger B helicop ter.
dosages
Drug
were immobil ized with a single drug injectio n.
and
females
for
1. 4 mg/lb for yearling s, 1. 0 mg/lb
were:
Cubs-of
males.
young males and 0.75 mg/lb for adult
8.8
averaged
time
the-yea r were captured by hand. Inductio n
minutes and ranged from 4 to 16 minutes .
Sex ratios (1961-19 79) and me~n age (1969-19 79) of
bears reported in the sport harvest from GMU 13 were
Males comprise d 53
compared to those of captured bears.
of the bears
percent
percent of the captured bears and 57
was 6.4
males
d
The mean age of 304 harveste
harveste d.
mean
The
males.
captured
years compared to 6.6 years for 18
compared
age
of
years
age of 219 harveste d females was 6.8
Only bears over 2.0
to 7.7 years for 16 captured females.
of mean age of
tions
years of age were included in calcula
captured animals.
Morphol ogical measurem ents are presente d and briefly
discusse d. The largest skull measure d (male) was 69.2 em
(27~ inches) (length + width).
Baseline
presente d.
blood values
for
2- &o
are
spring captured bears
Three manuscr ipts were prepared and submitte d for
"Causes of neonata l moose calf mortali ty in
publica tion:
ARLIS
Alaska Resources Library & Information Services
Library Building, Suite Ill
3211 Providence Dri ve
Anchorage, AK 99508-4614
i
southcentral Alaskan (accepted by J. Wildl. Mgmt.), nHome
range, daily movements and denning activity of brown bears
in southcentral Alaskan (submitted to Can. Field Nat., see
Appendix I), and nHoming of transplanted Alaskan brown
bearsn (submitted to J. Wildl. Mgmt., see Appendix II).
During spring and fall 1978, 23 radio-collare d bears
Moose of all age classes
were observed on 78 kills.
Calf moose comprised 57
comprised 87 percent of the kills.
percent of the moose kills and 47 percent of the total kill.
Radio-collar ed bears preyed upon moose calves until
This confirmed results of moose calf mortality
mid-July.
a
predation was
that bear
indicated
which
studies
mid-July
significant cause of calf moose mortality. After
bears were observed preying upon adult moose and caribou.
Overall, radio-collare d bears made one ungulate kill every
There were no apparent differences in rates of
6.1 days.
predation between bears of various ages or family status.
_,
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CONTENTS
i
Summa ry . .
Backg round.
Objec tives.
Study Area
Proce dures . . . . . . .
Resul ts and Discu ssion . .
Ackno wledge ments . . . .
Litera ture Cited . . . . .
1
2
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•
•
2
2
8
• 22
22
BACKGROUND
Brown bear (Vrsus arctos ) ecolog y has been inves tigate d
on the Alaska Penin sula (Glenn 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975,
and in
(Reyn olds 1974,1 980),
the Brook s Range
1976) ,
South easter n Alaska (Wood 1973, 1974, 1976) . All of these
bear studie s have focuse d on coast al or arctic popul ations .
Interi or Alaska popul ations , which in recen t years have been
subjec ted to increa sing levels of sport harve st (Alask a
Depar tment of Fish and Game [ADF&G] files) have not been
studie d and basic knowl edge of brown bear biolog y in these
One area
areas is curre ntly insuf ficien t for manag ement.
where more inform ation is needed is Game Manag ement Unit
(GMU) 13, commo nly referr ed to as the Nelch ina Basin .
Within recen t years increa sing numbe rs of brown bears
are being seen and sport harve sts have increa sed ( Eide
bear
the
that
indica tes
inform ation
Limite d
1978) .
From
popul ation in the Nelch ina Basin may be increa sing.
the
by
1948 to 1953 intens ive poison ing and aeria l shooti ng
Feder al govern ment reduce d preda tor popul ations to low
Althou gh wolve s (Canis lupus) were
levels (Rausc h 1967) .
the targe t of this progra m, bears doubt less were killed as
well. Since the early 1950's wolf popul ations in this area
have increa sed, bear popul ations appea r to have increa sed
also.
Rausch (1969 ), Bishop and Rausch (1974) and Mcilro y
(1974) have specu lated on the appar ent invers e relati onshi ps
In
betwee n numbe rs of preda tors and moose (Alces a lees).
moose
light of the impor tance of GMU 13 to the statew ide
harve st and becau se of its depres sed moose popul ation
(Balla rd et al. 1980a ), a series of studie s were initia ted
inves tigate preda tor-pr ey relati onshi ps in Unit 13.
to
these studie s focuse d on moose and wolve s
Initia lly,
(Steph enson 1978, Balla rd and Taylo r 1978a , b, Balla rd and
Sprak er 1979, Balla rd et al. 1980a ,b, and Balla rd et al. In
First- year resul ts of a moose calf morta lity study
Press ).
ident ified brown bear preda tion as a major cause of neona tal
moose calf morta lity (Balla rd and Taylo r 1978b ). Howev er,
.1
it was not know n whe ther bea rs of spec
i fie ages or fam ily
stat us were resp ons ible for this pred atio
If such were
the case , bea r hun ting regu latio ns coul n.
d
pot
enti ally be
man ipul ated to prov ide par tial reli ef
for
the
dep ress ed
Nelc hina Bas in moo se pop ulat ion.
Req uest s from the pub lic
for more libe ral bear hun ting seas ons
calf moo se surv ival , prom pted init iatiin orde r to augm ent
on of this stud y.
This repo rt pres ents the find ings
feed ing beh avio r stud y (Job 4 .13R ) supp of the brow n bear
from , a bear tran spla nt expe rime nt condleme nted with data
ucte d usin g Stat e
fund s.
OBJECTIVES
To dete rmin e the rate s and patt erns of
pred atio n on
moo se calv es by brow n bea rs, by sex
and
age
clas s and
repr odu ctiv e con diti ons .
To dete rmin e dist ribu tion , seas ona l mov
emen ts and home
rang es of brow n bear s in GMU 13.
STUDY AREA
Brow n bea rs were stud ied in that
lyin g with in the foll owi ng bou nda ries por tion of GMU 13
The Rich ards on
High way on the east , the Glen n High way :
to
the sou th, the
cen ter of the Talk eetn a Mou ntain Rang e
on
the
wes t, and the
Alas kan Rang e to the nort h (Fig . 1). This
area
corr espo nded
clos ely to the stud y area whe re othe
r
radi
o-te lem etry
rese arch was in prog ress (Ba llar d and
Tay
lor
197 8a,b ,
Bal lard and Spra ker 1979 , Bal lard et al.
1980
a,
Bal
lard In
Pre ss).
PROCEDURES
Init iall y,
bea rs were loca ted
fixe d-w ing airc raft (Pip er Sup er Cub PA- by sear chin g from
18-1 50) duri ng earl y
mor ning and late even ing hou rs.
Afte r seve ral bea rs were
capt ured and radi o-co llar ed, flig hts to
loca te bea rs
disc onti nue d,
sinc e bea rs were loca ted inci den tal were
to
mon itor ing radi o-co llar ed moo se calv es.
Bea rs were cap ture d
betw een 9 Apr il and 23 June 1978 .
Wh'cn a bea r was foun d, its loca tion
was rela yed by
radi o to a near by heli cop ter (Be ll 206B
).
The heli cop ter
appr oach ed to with in appr oxim atel y 25 met
ers
of the bea r in
orde r to esti mat e weig ht for calc ulat ing
prop er drug dosa ge.
2
Fig. 1.
Game Hanagernent Unit 13 brown bear study area, spring 1978.
C>
~~.:~
~~ ~'····
c'D
"-'"
0
Etorph ine hydro chlori de ( M-99, D-M Pharm aceuti cals, Inc.,
Rockf ield, MD) and its antido te dipren orphin e (M-50 -50) were
used on one bear; the remain der were immob ilized with
phenc yclidi ne
hydro chlori de
(Serny lan,
Bioce utic
Labor atorie s,
St. Joseph ,
MO).
Drug
dosage s
of
phenc yclidi ne hydro chlori de were:
1.0 mg per pound for
female s and young adult males and 0. 75 mg per pound for
adult males (Glenn 1971) .
For bears locate d in heavy
timbe r, the helico pter was used to haze the anima l toward s
an open area for easie r dartin g.
Drugs were admin istere d
with a dart fired from a Cap-C hur Gun (Palm er Chemi cal and
Equipm ent Co. , Doug lasvil le, GA) .
Exper ience proved that
even older , more wary, bears could be moved into open areas
if herded slowly .
When a bear was darted the helico pt.er retrea ted, but
effor ts were made to keep the bear in sight (espe cially in
dense veg·;t ation) .
If there was no risk of losing a darted
bear, the helico pter was landed and the bear was monit ored
from fixed- wing aircra ft.
Once immob ilized, the helico pter
tr2ms ported a two-m an taggin g crew to the site.
The dart
was remov ed and checke d for perce nt inject ion.
Adult bears were fitted with radio collar s (Mode l
KN-IV , Telon ics Compa ny, 1300 West Unive rsity, Mesa, AZ
85203) wh1ch emitte d a pulsed signa l on freque ncies rangin g
from
150. 000
throug h 151.00 0 f'lhz.
These herme tically
transm itters sealed had a theor etical life span of 44
month s.
Each transm itter contai ned an invers e "mort ali tv
sensor " which lowere d the pulse rate when the unit remain ed
motio nless
for a 4.,-hou r period .
Theor etical ly,
this
extend ed the life of the radio by utiliz ing less batter y
power when bears were dennin g.
Each bear was ear-ta gged with a numbe red rota-t ag
(Obera ch Paten t,
Ltd.,
London ,
Engla nd).
To aid in
identi fying bears from fixed- wing aircra ft each ear tag
was accom panied by a colore d polyv inyl flag measu ring 7 em
by 10 em.
Flags were color coded accord ing to sex,
intern ation al orange for males and fluore scent green for
female s.
Captu red bears were marked by a 3-dig it tattoo
in the upper and lower lips using standa rd tattoo
with 3/8-in ch digits and green paste tattoo ink
Manuf acturi ng and Supply Co., 1212 Kansa s Avenu e,
City, KS 66105 ).
numbe r
pliers
(Stone
Kansa s
When pract ical,
both lower
first premo lars were
extrac ·ted for age determ inatio n.
Teeth were sectio ned and
aged accord ing to metho ds descri bed by Stoneb urg and Jonke l
(1966) and Johnso n and Lucie r (1975 ). A micro meter was used
to measu re length of the upper and lower left canin es, and
gum line width s from both anteri or to poste rior and from
labia l to lingua l sides.
4
using
Bloo d samp les were taken from the femo ral arter y bloo d
A
les.
bott
10 ml evac uated vial s and 150 ml evac uated
hepa rin for:
samp le was taken in a 10-m l vial cont ainin g a
Hb-m eter
with
n
perc ent hemo globi
deter mina tion of
ed cell
pack
and
NY)
(Ame rican Opti cal Corp orati on, Buff alo,
rifug e
cent
it
atocr
micr ohem
a
with
(PVC)
volum e
Upon
NJ).
y,
ppan
Parsi
Comp any,
( Read ocri t-Cla y-Ad ams
ed
rifug
cent
was
d
bloo
e
retur ning from the field , the whol
s
vial
tic
plas
5-ml
into
d
and sera were sepa rated and place
these
of
les
samp
e-ml
Thre
whic h were imme diate ly froze n.
Labo rator y
Cent ral
Path olog ists
to
sent
were
sera
chem istry
d
bloo
for
2)
9812
WA
( 1100 East Unio n, Seat tle,
Arne son
and
n
zman
(Fran
sis
hore
anal ysis and prot ein elec trop
d for
store
and
n
froze
been
Rema ining sera have
1973 ).
poss ible futur e anal yses .
the
Hair samp les were taken to aid in asse ssing
by
d
ente
pres
s
ique
techn
using
cond ition
anim al's
hump
the
on
taken
were
les
Samp
Franz mann et al. ( 1975 ).
All hair samp les (35) were
betw een the bear 's shou lders .
ern Rese rve Univ ersit y,
West
(Case
sent to Dr. Arth ur Flyn n
Clev eland , OH) for analy ses.
ded on
Morp holog ical meas urem ents were taken and recor( 1972 ).
n
t.he field data shee t (Fig. 2) prov ided by Glen
heig ht,
lder
shou
th,
leng
l
tota
inclu ded:
Meas urem ents
girth , body
leng th of hind foot, neck circu mfer ence , hear twere weig hed
s
Bear
th.
leng
head
leng th, head widt h, and
city of 200
with eith er a hand -held sprin g scale with a capa
a Sena tor
poun ds (Han son Mode l 8920 , Nort hbro ok, IL), orecke r Corp .,
Scal e with a capa city of 1500 poun ds (Mar tin-D hed to t.he
The Sena tor Scal e was attac
Sant a Ana, CA).
in a cargo
helic opte r's cargo hook and the bear was weig heda biol ogis t
by
read
was
ht
Weig
net faste ned to the scal e.
(40 poun ds) was
on the grou nd. The weig ht of the cargo net When
cond ition s
subt racte d to yield the bear 's live weig ht.
ated by
did not perm it weig hing the bear its weig ht was estim
biol ogis ts on the groun d.
-win g
Radi o-co llare d bear s were loca ted from fixed t'Vd:n
using
airc raft (Pip er Supe r Cub or Stol Cess na 180) raft 's wing
airc
the
of
each
on
3-ele ment anten nae moun ted
by Mech
stru ts and meth ods simi lar to those desc ribed
ard
stand
on
ded
recor
were
tion
Acti vity and loca
(197 4).
le
{sca
maps
hic
grap
topo
ey
Surv
l
forms and U.S. Geol ogica
1:25 0,00 0).
obse rved
and
loca ted
were
bear s
Radi o-co llare d
study .
of
s
week
2
t
firs
the
gene rally twice per day for
day unti l
Subs eque ntly, moni torin g was reduc ed to once per
tored on
moni
were
s
Bear
hly.
the end of June then twice mont
calv es
e
moos
ared
-coll
radio
the same fligh ts made to loca te
ker
Spra
and
lard
(Bal
es
(Bal lard et al. 1980 b) and wolv
1979 ) .
5
Fig. 2
Nelchina Basin Brov.TU Bear Tagging Data Sheet 1/
Bear No.
Date
Sex
Collecto r
Est'd Age
Recorde r
Cern. Age
-----------------
____________Recaptu re
New_______ ___
Time ITemp.
(ulse Rate
I
ITr~
Time_
!
I
_
Resp. Rate_ _ ~ulsion
Were all darts checked for complete drug injectio n?
MEASUREMENTS:
Girth
Measured Wt.
----T.L. - B.L.
-Ht. Sh. - · - -H.F.
Dentitio n (
SPECIMENS COLLECTED:
Other
~-----·
------'N o
Neck------
------
Length.____ ____ ____ _____
Head: Width
Length of Upper Left Canine
PHOTOGRAP~S:
Yes
I
Lower Left Canine_____
) , Collar (
) , Mammae (
Tooth (Be specific )
) , \fuole Bear (
Blood:
) Vulva (
';
J
Vol. _______ __·-····--·-- --
Blood Smear:
Urine:
Yes___ No____. Vag Smear: Yes -----'No
____Feces: Ye~~---- ___ Nc --·-·····-- --Yes___No_ _ Milk: (no less than 10 ml prefer 100-200m l) Vol. _______ ____ _
PRODUCTIVITY:
Mamme:
Female: No. of . 5 yr. olds ______L 5 yr. _____ 2. 5 yr · - - - - ·
Length__________ Color___ Vulva: ______ _Male: Testes Descend ed: Yes
No
Other Bears Present (Describ e)
RECAPTURE DATA: Tatto:
No.
Conditio n
Left
- - - · Ear Tags (Number, Type; Condit]. on):
Right____ ____ __
-
Collar (Number, Type, Conditio n)
NEW J'AG DATA: Left Ear:
Large Roto No.
Color
Right Ear: Large Roto No.
Color
Coller:
Color
Small Roto No. _______
Color_______Small Roto No. ______
Type~-------------------- Collar Color Code: -----
___Collar Plate Ident.:
----
Figure______
Tempora ry Marking s:
Time Departed
Complet eness of Recovery
Comments: ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______
6
_
Fig. 2 (cont'd)
Nelchina Basin Brown Bear Tagging Data Sheet
Punch Tattoo No. Here
----------------------------------------------------------
Time Bear First Observed
Specific Location~-----------------------------------------------------------------Map Coordin ates_________________________________________
Grid No.
Est'd Wt.
DRUG DATA:
3. M-99
4.
50-50
Dosage
Circle Each Used:
1. Sernalyn
2. Sparine
5. Other
Time Darted
Time Down
Dart Location
1st Hit
2nd Hit
3rd Hit
Total
Cont. Comments:
RESIGHTINGS:
1/
Form provided by Glenn (1972)
7.
Prey taken by brown beara was ident ified on the basis
of combi nation s of colora tion, pelage , size, and antler s
(Balla rd et al. 1979, Ballar d In Press ).
When kills were
observ ed we checke d for the presen ce of other radio -colla red
bears and wolve s.
All wolf packs in the bear study areas
were radio -colla red.
No attem pt was made to examin e all of the kills
attrib uted to bear preda tion on the ground . When pract ical,
howev er, kills were visite d by helico pter or fixed- wing
aircr aft to confir m the cause of morta lity accord ing to
metho ds descri bed by Balla rd et al. (1979 ).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Thirty -eigh t brown bears were captur ed and marke d in
GMU 13 from 9 April to 23 June 1978 (Table 1). Eighty -one
perce nt of the study anima ls were immob ilized with a single
inject ion
of
phenc yclidi ne
hydro chlori de
(Table 2).
Seven teen perce nt requir ed two drug inject ions and 3 perce nt
requir ed three. Multi ple inject ions were neces sary when the
bear's weight : was under estima ted or when the dart failed to
fully injec t the initia l dosag e.
Mean induc tion time for
bears immob olized with a single inject ion was 9 minut es
(S.D.= 3.3) and ranged from 4 to 16 minut es.
Two taggin g morta lities occur red.
Bear numbe r 226 was
captur ed on an excep tional ly warm day in a dry area and
never recove red from the effec ts of the drug, death may have
result ed from elevat ed body tempe rature .
Bear numbe r 233
drowne d in a shallo w pond during the last few minut es of
drug induc tion. Attem pts to haze or lure this bear from the
pond with the helico pter were unsuc cessfu l. This bear was
the oldes t male captur ed (14+ years ). Bear numbe r 206, the
oldes t female ( 13 years ), also entere d a pond during the
final
mintu es
of
drug
induc tion.
Howev er,
she was
succe ssfull y roped and pulled from the pond using the
helico pter.
Morph ologic al measu remen ts in relati on to age and sex
are presen ted in Tables 3 and 4.
Nine adult males ( 5. 5
years and older) averag ed 254 kg (559 lbs) (S.D.= 24 kg) and
ranged from 226 kg (497 lbs) to 289 kg (636 lbs). Ten adult
female s (5.5 years and older) averag ed 124 kg (273 lbs)
(S.D.= 28 kg) and ranged from 91 kg (200 lbs) to 170 kg
(375 lbs), 49 perce nt of the averag e weigh t for adult males .
Both measu red and estim ated weigh ts (Table 3) were includ ed
in the above calcu lation s.
The sex ratio of captur ed bears (older than 2.0 years)
was 53 perce nt males .
In compa rison, unpub lished ADF&G data
indica te a sex ratio of 57 perce nt males to 43 perce nt
8
Game Management Unit 13
Tagg ing stat istic s of brown bear captu red in
from Apri l 9 to June 23, 1978 .
Tabl e 1.
Bear ID
Number
(Tatt oo)
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
None
None
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226•'•
227
228
229
230
231
232
233•~
234
235
..k
-,';:;';;
Ear
Tag No.
~
R
-
990 & 992
801 & 802
803 & 804
805 & 806
807 & 808
809 & 810
811 & 812
813 & 814
815
816
819 & 820
817 & 818
821 & 822
823 & 824
825 & 826
827 & 828
829 & 830
831 & 832
833 & 834
835 & 836
837 & 838
839 & 840
841 & 842
843 & 844
851 & 852
845 & 846
847 & 848
849 & 850
853 & 854
855 & 856
857 & 858
859 & 960
861 & 862
863 & 864
865 & 866
No tags
869 & 870
867 & 868
Capt ure
date
Sex
M
4/09 /78
M
5/24 /78
F
5/24 /78
F
5/24 /78
F
5/25 /78
M
5/27 /78
F
5/27 /78
F
5/27 /78
M
5/27 /78
F
5/27 /78
F
5/27 /78
F
5/28 /78
M
5/28 /78
M
5/29 /78
F
5/29 /78
F
5/29 /78
M
5/29 /78
F
5/29 /78
M
5/29 /78
M
5/30 /78
M
5/30 /78
F
5/30 /78
F
5/31 /78
F
5/31 /78
M
6/05 /78
M
6/03 /78
M
6/03 /78
M
6/04 /78
M
6/06 /78
M
6/07 /78
M
6/10 /78
F
6/10 /78
M
6/10 /78
F
6/11 /78
F
6/23 /78
M
6/11 /78
F
6/23 /78
F
6/23 /78
Age
(Yrs)
Weig ht
Kg(l bs)
289(635)*~'>'
7.5
227(500)~';;'(
10.5
105 (230)7'•*
8.5
52( 115 )~h';
2.5
141( 310)
7.5
205 ( 450 )~·(~"
4.5
170(375)•'•~'<"
13.5
98(21 5 y.-:,
11.5
5 ( 12)
.5
5 ( 12)
.5
(200 )~·-~·91
12.5
22)
101(2
4.5
34)
61(1
2.5
136 (300 )~'d;
4.5
105 (230 )~'d;
10.5
102•'<225 )~"-:(
10.5
102(225)•'•~"
3.5
75(1 64)
2.5
560)
255(
10.5
305)
139(
3.5
220)
100(
4.5
10)
95(2
4.5
)id;
(275
125
5.5
(
00)-!d
136(3
8.5
635)
289(
11.5
92(2 02)
2.5
85(1 86)
2.5
(350 )id•
159
4.5
520)
236(
5.5
590)
268(
9.5
497)
226(
7.5
10)
95(2
2.5
550)
250(
9.5
154(338)~b'(
12.5
45(100)"l'd:
1.5
50)id ;
250(5
14.5+
)"l'•"l'•
(325
148
5.5
';
0)"l';;
45(10
1.5
Capt ure Loca tion
Upper West Fork -Gul kana R.
Oldman Lake
Oldman Lake
Upper Tyone Cree k
Curt is Lake
Vict ory Cree k
Vict ory Cree k
Fish Lake
Fish Lake
Fish Lake
Second Hill Lake
West Fork -Sus itna Rive r
Boul der Cree k
Vald ez Cree k
East Fork -Sus itna Rive r
East Fork -Sus itna Rive r
Midd le Fork -Sus itna Rive r
Midd le Fork -Sus itna Rive r
Y Lake
Trap pers Den
Twin Lake s
Trap pers Den
Trap pers Den
Nelc hina Rive r
Loon Lake
Twin Lake
Upper Tyone Cree k
Upper Tyone Cree k
Monahan Flat s
Mari e Lake
Mile 175- Rich ardso n Hwy.
Tyone Cree k
Tagg ing mor talit y.
Estim ated weig ht.
9
Table 2.
Dosages of phencyclidine hydrochloride (cone. 100 mg/ml) utilized to immobilize brown bears in
Game Management Unit 13 from April 9 to June 23, 1978.
Bear ID
Number
(Tattoo)
Sex
200
M
Age
(Yrs)
Weight
(kg)
7.5
289*"'
201
202*
203
F
204
F
2.5
7.5
141
205
206
M
4.5
205~-k
F
13.5
M
F
10.5
8.5
227**
105'h"
52·k··k
170
Drug
Dosage
(ml)
7.0
7.0
5.0
4.0
Induction
Time
(min)
No reaction
8
2.0
8
7
4.5
10
3.0
4
7
4.0
4.0
2.0
207
208
F
F
11.5
12.5
209
210
F
M
M
4.5
2.5
4.5
F
F
10.5
10.5
M
F
3.5
2.5
M
10.5
211
212
213
214
215
216
u
98~'--*
91-k-;'\
101
61
136**
105~"*
1oz·:.'"
102*~"
4.0
4.0
3.5
3.0
3.0
3.0
53
8
16
4
4.0
11
8
13
3.0
10
3.5
4
2.5
10
75
2.5
255
5.0
10
1.0
4
217
M
3.5
139
3.5
218
M
4.5
100
3.0
3.0
6.5
4.5
Hit
Location
Ctr. back
Rt. shoulder
Ctr. back
L. side behind shld.
L. shoulder
Ctr. back
Left rump
Ctr. back
Ctr. back
Ctr. back
Ctr. back
Ctr. back
Ctr. back
Back of front leg
Ctr. back
Ctr. ribs/left side
Mid-back
Top left rump
Left ribs
(?)
Head above left ear
Ctr. back
Femoral artery
Ctr. back
Ribs-left side
Left rump
Comments
1st dosage - no effect
2nd dosage - 2 ml
Complete injection (M-99)
Complete injection
Up & running @ 11 min.
2nd dosage required
Complete injection
2nd & 3rd dosages required
wouldn't stay down
Complete injection, down hard
Up & running-required 2nd dosage
Complete injection
Complete injection
Complete injection
Complete injection
Down hard, may have hit vein,
convulsed one time only for
approximately 30 seconds
Complete injection
Complete injection
Couldn't handle, 2nd dosage I.V.
6 convulsions @ 30 seconds each
2nd dosage necessary as 1st dart
bounced out
No reaction to 1st dart after
16 minutes
rs in
uti liz ed to imm obi lize brown bea
ml)
mg/
100
ne.
(co
ride
hlo
roc
ncy clid ine hyd
Tab le 2 (co nt.) . Dos age s of phe
Ap ril 9 to Jun e 23, 197 8.
from
13
it
Un
Game Management
Bea r ID
Number
(Ta ttoo )
Sex
219
220
221
F
F
F
222
223
224
225
M
M
M
M
226
227
228
M
M
M
Age
(Yr s)
We ight
(kg )
4.5
5.5
8.5
95
125·kk
11. 5
2.5
2.5
4.5
5.5
9.5
7.5
Drug
Dos age
(ml )
Ind uct ion
Time
(mi n)
3.0
3.0
1.8
12
1.0
289
92
85
159*""(
236
268
226
6.0
3.5
3.0
0.5
Rump
Bas e of nec k
Top of hea d
Inn er-m usc ula r
9
16
10
4.5
2.5
Ctr . bac k
Ctr . bac k
1.0
10
5.0
4.0
9
1.0
F
2.5
95
2.0
230
M
9.5
250
5.0
F
12. 5
1.5
14. 5+
5.5
1.5
154*"'-<"
3.0
231
232
233
234
235
*
**
F
M
F
F
148""'"*
45-ln'(
Bea r imm obi lize d wit h M-99.
We igh t est ima ted .
Inn er-m usc ula r
Ctr . bac k
1.2
9
9
5.0
3.0
1.2
4
7
Comments
Com plet e inj ect ion
.
Giv en add itio nal 1 ml inte r-m use
up,
(af ter 1st 16 min . hea d sti ll
req uir ed 2nd dos age ) anim al
wor kab le at 10 min utes
ml
Inc om ple te inj ect ion rec . 2.2
al
1st dar t did n't inj ect tot
of 3.5 ml
2nd dar t req uire d
Cou ld not han dle ,
2nd dos age req uire d
Cou ld not han dle ,
2nd dos age req uire d
Inn er-m usc ula r
0.5 ml spa rin e, 3rd dos age ,
1 ml ser nyl an
2nd dos age req uire d (I.M .)
Lef t rump
Lef t flan k
Ctr . bac k
Rib s (low er lef t)
Low rig ht rump
e
Giv en add itio nal 0.6 ml spa rin
Com plet e inj ect ion , drowned
e
Giv en add itio nal 0.6 ml spa rin
9
1.0
45* *
250**
bac k
bac k
bac k
rib s
Ctr .
Ctr .
Ctr .
Lef t
9
6.0
229
Hit
Loc atio n
Table 3.
Morphological measurements in relation to age of male brown bears captured in Game Management Unit 13 from
April 9 through June 23, 1978.
Bear
Age Tattoo
(Yrs) Number
0.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
3.5
3.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
5.5
7.5
7.5
9.5
9.5
10.5
10.5
11.5
14.5
*
;'rl(
N
815*
210
223
224
214
217
218
205
211
225
226
200
228
227
230
201
216
222
233
Weight
(kg)
5
61
92
85
102-A""*
139
100
205-h-i:
136,n~
159**
236
289-n'-k
226
268
250
2271:-1~
255
289
250-h-k
Ear tag number.
Estimated weight.
Length
Neck
of
Total Shoulder Hind CircumFoot ference
Length Height
(em)
(em)
(em)
(em)
152.4
179.7
170.1
183.5
165.1
229.2
182.9
188.3
197.5
223.5
200.0
219.7
199.7
192.7
216.5
224.2
230.5
95.3
89.9
96.5
101.6
104.8
97.2
128.6
111.4
109.5
120.0
132.4
122.6
121.9
123.2
121.0
125.7
144.8
131.8
29.8
31.4
30.5
31.1
32.1
28.9
36.8
31.8
34.3
35.6
·26.0
36.3
35.2
34.9
38.9
34.6
40.0
34.9
45.4
51.1
48.3
57.2
60.3
53.7
77.2
73.0
60.6
79.4
87.6
76.8
91.4
84.5
91.0
85.1
93.3
97.2
Girth
(em)
83.8
101.9
94.6
97.2
110.2
96.2
124.1
118.7
102.2
136.8
148.0
135.9
144.1
147.3
151.0
138.4
144.8
140.3
Head
Length
(em)
Head
Width
and
Length
(em)
Length
Upper
Left
canine
Width
Upper
Left
canine
Length
Lower
Left
canine
Width
Lower
Left
canint
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
Body
Length
(em)
Head
Width
(em)
84.5
96.2
99.4
100.3
110.8
95.3
111.8
114.3
102.9
104.1
16.8
17.8
16.8
18.4
28.9
31.4
30.5
31.4
45.7
49.2
47.3
49.8
17.0
17.6
15.1
19.0
13.7
14.8
13.6
15.0
16.3
20.0
18.0
20.8
12.4
15.8
15.0
15.1
18.1
21.6
21.6
19.4
22.9
25.4
23.3
25.1
31.1
38.7
36.8
32.4
37.5
42.5
36.7
38.7
49.2
60.3
58.4
51.8
60.4
67.9
60.0
63.8
18.6
22.0
22.0
22.0
22.8
14.7
16.0
16.3
15.3
16.8
20.8
23.0
22.1
22.3
22.9
14.6
16.0
16.3
15.2
12.8
15.0
15.8
19.0
38.4
38.7
41.9
39.4
63.9
63.8
69.2
65.4
20.0
21.0
21.8
21.5
22.2
27.3
21.5
15.5
14.8
15.6
25.5
25.1
27.3
26.0
20.0
22.3
25.0
20.0
24.3
24.2
23.2
126.4
128.6
130.8
130.0
130.8
137.2
124.5
17.4
19.3
22.0
16.0
18.0
15.7
ment Un it 13 from
bea rs cap tur ed in Game Manage
wn
bro
ale
fem
of
age
to
on
eme nts in rel ati
Tab le 4. Mo rph olo gic al mea sur
23, 197 8.
e
Jun
h
Ap ril 9 thr oug
Len gth Wid th
Len gth Wid th
Head
low er
low er
er
upp
Len gth
upp er
wid th
lef t
t
lef
k
Nec
t
lef
of
lef t
and
Head
Head
y
Bod
ine
can
ine
can
um
circ
ine
To tal Sho uld er hin d
th len gth len gth can ine can )
wid
Bea r
gth
)
len
(mm
th
Gir
)
(mm
nee
£re
(mm
foo t
(mm)
ght
(em)
(em)
(em)
)
(em
Age Tat too We igh t len gth hei
)
(em
)
(em
)
(em
(em)
(em)
(yr s) Number (kg )
0.5
1.5
1.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
4.5
4.5
5.5
5.5
7.5
8.5
8.5
10. 5
10. 5
11. 5
12. 5
12. 5
13. 5
·k
-k-k
_,
w
816<\232
235
203
229
215
219
209
220
234
204
202
221
212
213
207
208
231
206
5
45<'d:
45<'~*
52*''\
95
75
95
101
125*'\148i'*
141
lOS**
-
105*'''
102*'\98;\-k
91 *"'
154"'"*
170
Ear tag num ber .
Est ima ted we igh t.
142 .2
144 .8
157 .4
148 .9
157 .5
184 .2
193 .7
180 .3
189 .9
182 .0
188 .6
184 .1
185 .4
181 .0
180 .3
205 .7
198 .1
78. 7
81. 6
93. 5
91. 1
89. 9
103 .2
97. 2
101 .6
102 .6
101 .0
104 .0
104 .1
96. 2
107 .6
108 .3
107 .6
97. 8
28. 6
25. 7
31. 0
30. 5
27. 0
30. 2
29. 8
31. 1
31. 8
29. 5
32. 5
30. 8
29. 2
32. 1
32. 1
30. 8
29. 2
34. 6
44. 1
48. 3
48. 0
51. 4
48. 3
53. 7
57. 5
59. 1
66. 0
63. 5
61. 0
56. 5
57. 8
53. 0
59. 1
59. 1
66. 0
72. 4
84. 5
89. 5
86. 8
86. 7
89. 2
104 .8
106 .7
119 .1
1~1.8
98. 8
101 .6
96. 2
104 .8
102 .2
106 .0
117 .5
135 .3
86. 7
81. 6
88. 5
91. 1
81. 3
102 .6
97. 2
109 .2
114 .3
101 .7
104 .0
106 .7
97. 2
83. 8
93. 3
104 .1
119 .4
108 .0
15. 9
15. 9
16. 5
17. 0
16. 8
17. 8
18. 7
20. 3
21. 3
20. 5
21. 1
20. 0
19. 1
22. 2
21. 6
22. 2
21. 0
22. 5
27. 3
26. 7
29. 6
27. 3
28. 3
31. 8
32. 4
34. 0
33. 0
35. 2
35. 2
33. 3
31. 4
33. 0
34. 0
35. 2
37. 1
36. 8
43. 2
42. 6
46. 1
44. 3
45. 1
49. 6
51. 1
54. 3
54. 3
55. 7
56. 3
53. 3
50. 5
55. 2
55. 6
57. 4
58. 1
59. 3
11. 1
9.8
9.7
9.4
17. 0
16. 1
17. 3
17. 7
17. 1
19. 4
11. 0
13. 1
13. 1
13. 6
13. 1
15. 0
14. 0
18. 2
17. 0
18. 5
17. 6
18. 7
20. 2
14. 0
12. 1
13. 6
13. 7
12. 8
14. 0
15. 2
17. 9
17. 8
18. 2
18. 2
21. 0
12. 9
12. 2
14. 2
12. 5
15. 2
18. 0
16. 4
19. 0
18. 0
20. 8
13. 0
11. 8
13. 8
12. 5
14. 0
22. 6
15. 0
20. 6
14. 7
females for 888 bears of known sex harvested in GMU 13 from
1961 to 1979. As females accompani ed by young are protected
by hunting regulation s, a higher proportio n of males in the
harvest relative to their occurrenc e in the populatio n would
be expected. Males, which typically have larger home ranges
and are more mobile, may also be more vulnerabl e to hunters
than females.
Teeth of harvested bears have been collected and aged
since 1969.
The mean age of 304 males in the 1969-1979
sport harvest was 6. 4 years compared to 6. 6 years for 18
captured males that were harvestab le (over 2.0 years of age
in 1977). For 219 females harvested during the same period,
the mean age was 6.8 years compared to 7.7 years old for 16
females (over 2.0 years of age) that were captured.
These
data suggest that the age compositio n of the harvest in
GMU 13 is similar to that of the populatio n, especially for
the male segment.
Harvested females may average younger
than
females
in the populatio n because of a
lower
probabili ty of younger females being accompani ed by young.
Compariso ns
between
sex
and
age
compositio n
of
harvested and captured bears suggest that Unit 13 hunters
are relatively non-selec tive and that harvest data may
accurately reflect populatio n compositio n in this unit.
Recent initiation of a spring hunting season may alter this
situation .
Breeding Status, Productiv ity and Movements
Breeding status and productiv ity of captured females
over 2 years of age are shown in Table 5. Two 5.5-year-o ld
females in 1978 plus one in 1979 (not showfr in Table 5) were
accompani ed by yearling cubs indicating that they had
successfu lly bred at 3. 5 years of age.
Females breeding
successfu lly at 3.5 years of age have also been reported on
the Alaska Peninsula (Glenn et al. 1972) and on Kodiak
Island (Hensel et al. 1969). These results differ, however,
from those of Reynolds (1976) for Northern Alaska, Pearson
( 1972) for the Yukon Terri tory and Craighead et al. { 1969)
for Wyoming where minimum breeding ages were determined to
be 6.5, 6.5 and 4.5 years old, respectiv ely.
Of the 13 captured females over the age of 3.0 years,
(average age = 8.2 years), 6 were accompani ed by young and 7
were in estrus (average age = 9. 5) (Table 5).
Only one
female ( #207) with cubs was captured in 1978 (Table 5).
Three of the females captured in 1978 had cubs in 1979 (#'s
206, 213, 231) (Table 5).
Additiona l data pertainin g to
productiv ity, breeding status, home range size, and denning
activity are presented as a manuscrip t (Appendix I).
14
-
Tabl e 5.
fema le brown bear s over 3 year s
Bree ding stat us and known prod ucti vity of
13 from Apr il 9 thro ugh June 23,
of age, capt ured in Game Management Unit
.
1978 .
1978
Bear I.D.
number
Age firs t
bred (yrs )
Age
(yrs )
Offs prin g
No. -age (yrs )
None
Remarks
Lact atin g, in estr us, and with
10 year old male ff20l when
capt ured in 1978 , not seen 1979 .
202
8.5
Unk.
204
7.5
4
206
13.5
Unk.
207
11.5
Unk.
3 - 0.5
208
12.5
Unk.
None
Lact atin g and in estr us, not
with a male when capt ured in
1978 . No cont act in 1979 .
209
4.5
Unk.
None
Not lact atin g, in estr us and
with 2 year old male #210 when
capt ured in 1978 . No cubs in
1979 .
212
10.5
Unk.
None
213
10.5
Unk.
1 - 1.5
215
2.5
Unk.
None
2 - 2.5
None
Abandoned young (#22 9, othe r
unma rked ) and was obse rved
with 7 year old male #228 on
6/10 /78. Not seen in 1979 .
Lact atin g and in estr us, with
4 year old male #205 when
capt ured in 1978 . Had 3 cubs
in 1979 .
Two cubs capt ured , ear tagg ed
only in 1978 : Male #815 and
fema le #816 . Had one year ling
in 1979 .
Lact atin g and in estr us, with
4 year old male #211 when
capt ured in 1978 . No cont act
in 1979 .
Lact atin g - year ling neve r
obse rved with sow afte r capt ure
date in 1978 . Had two cubs
in 1979 .
Not lact atin g - mammae smal l
(0.8 em) and pink colo red.
No radi o coll ar appl ied.
15
Table 5 (con t.)
Bear I.D.
number
1978
Age
(yrs)
Age first
bred (yrs)
Offsp ring
No. -age (yrs)
Remarks
219
4.5
Unk.
None
220
5.5
3
1 - 1.5
Lacta ting in 1978. With one
2 year old young in 1979.
221
8.5
Unk.
2 - 1.5
Lacta ting in 1978. With two
2 year old cubs in 1979.
231
12.5
Unk.
None
Lact ating , in estru s and with
10 year old male #201 in 1978,
had three cubs in 1979.
234
5.5
3
2 - 1.5
Lact ating , yearl ings not with
sow in early Augu st 1978.
No conta ct in 1979.
Not lacta ting, in estru s, mammae
small (1.0 em) and pink in color
in 1978. No conta ct in 1979.
16
Physiol ogical Status
Table 6 lists the values (ppm) for 35 bear hair samples
analyzed for 10 elements by atomic absorpti on spectros copy;
Zinc (x = 239, S.D.=57 .5, range 137 to 373), Copper (x=25.3,
S.D.=7.3 , range 13-47), Calcium (x=1016, S.D.=28 7.1, range
465 to 17101, Magnesiu m (x=93, S.D.=18 .5, range 65 to 130),
Potassiu m (x=2088, S.D.=90 6.3, range 800 to 4280), Sodium
(x=5592, s.D.=63 8.4, range 3270 to 6780), Cobalt (x=1.6,
S.D.=0.4 , range 0.9 to 2.8), Iron (x=94, S.D.=17 .1, range 62
to 126), Mangane se (x=l.l, S.D.=0.3 , range 0.5 to 2.0), and
Chromium (x=0.3, S.D.=O. l, range 0.1 to 0.6). Table 7 lists
the physiolo gic values of blood samples collecte d during
status of this bear
physiol ogical
The
study.
this
these blood and hair
from
assessed
be
populati on can not
ble data from other
compara
of
absence
data because of the
will be placed on a
data
of
sets
Both
regions and seasons.
when adequate
reports
study
other
in
compute r and analyzed
le.
availab
are
on
data for comparis
Food Habits
Observa tions of kills made by radio-co llared brown
bears were combined with results of the moose calf mortali ty
of
Charact eristics
Press).
In
(Ballard et al.
study
d
publishe
been
also
have
bears
brown
by
killed
moose calves
(Ballard et al. 1979) and will not be discusse d further.
During summer and fall 1978 radio-co llared brown bears
were observed on 78 kills (Table 8). Moose calves were the
most numerou s prey item taken by brown bears, compris ing 47
percent of all kills and 51 percent of the ungulate kills.
The timing of bear predatio n on moose calves was identica l
to that identifi ed during the moose calf mortali ty study
(Ballard et al. In Press); all calves which died from bear
predatio n were killed prior to mid-July . Thereaf ter, adult
moose and adult caribou (Rangife r tarandus ) were the primary
prey items.
individu al
for
rates
predatio n
calculat ed
We
into
kills
of
number
the
dividing
by
bears
llared
radio-co
g
resultin
The
8).
(Table
days
tion
observa
of
the number
rates,
ate
approxim
ed
consider
be
only
should
figures
Fuller and
however, and may in some cases be inflated .
n rates
predatio
wolves,
for
that
ed
determin
(1980)
Keith
because
figures
rate
kill
inflated
days
tion
observa
based on
was
kill
old
an
on
wolves
g
observin
of
lity
the probabi
was
kill
the
which
upon
day
the
them
g
observin
than
greater
This is probably true for this study as well. Brown
made.
bears were observed on calf moose carcasse s for as long as 2
On
days, but averaged 1.1 days (Ballard et al. In Press).
1-6
from
carcass
a
with
stayed
they
however,
adult moose,
Some adult moose carcasse s were
days, averagin g 1.8 days.
·1
7
Brown bear hair element values by sex and age for bears captured in Nelchina Basin from April 9 through
June 23 1 1978 C.e.em).
Age
Bear I.D.
Sex (~ears) Zinc Co,e,eer Calcium Magnesium Potassium Sodium Cobalt Iron Manganese Chromium
number
0.2
0.8
73
1.3
5350
1830
85
825
26
267
7.5
M
200
0.4
0.6
118
1.9
5720
1690
90
650
35
193
10.5
M
201
0.1
0.7
62
2.0
5890
2730
115
930
17
204
8.5
F
202
0.3
1.0
87
1.3
5450
800
95
ll20
36
216
2.5
F
203
0.5
1.3
65
1.6
6030
1350
130
1350
22
137
7.5
F
204
0.3
1.1
108
2.1
5580
2380
65
890
25
293
4.5
M
205
0.3
0.7
104
1.5
5820
1770
95
765
20
304
F
13.5
206
0.4
1.2
85
1.6
6140
1820
65
1040
28
185
u.s
F
207
0.4
0.9
99
1.3
5730
3000
85
990
19
217
12.5
F
208
0.3
0.6
83
1.5
5840
1780
75
1080
17
302
4.5
F
209
0.1
1.3
86
1.8
5370
1160
70
1315
16
170
2.5
M
210
0.3
1.3
111
1.3
5410
1930
80
870
26
206
4.5
M
211
0.3
1.3
93
2.8
5590
2160
115
930
22
261
F
10.5
212
0.3
1.0
78
1.9
6140
2380
100
1530
28
255
F
10.5
213
0.4
1.1
80
1.5
5720
2310
90
845
30
287
M
3.5
214
0.4
1.2
74
1.7
6680
4280
70
965
27
242
2.5
F
215
0.1
1.6
108
1.3
5270
3870
80
1005
31
209
M
10.5
216
0.3
1.3
82
0.9
5630
3120
130
1710
22
263
3.5
M
217
0.2
0.5
105
1.4
4550
3210
llO
885
19
184
4.5
M
218
0.3
0.9
78
2.4
5700
900
100
960
348
23
4.5
F
219
0.4
1.0
ll9
1.2
5390
1490
120
930
197
13
5.5
F
220
0.3
2.0
97
1.8
5110
1090
90
1160
26
268
8.5
F
221
0.2
1.2
83
1.6
6030
1150
85
465
29
u.s 317
M
222
0.3
1.2
122
2.0
5010
2670
100
820
261
37
2.5
M
223
0.4
0.6
101
1.3
6580
2120
115
655
20
373
2.5
M
224
0.4
0.8
83
0.9
6430
2070
85
985
17
217
4.5
M
225
0.4
1.2
78
1.7
3270
1490
70
1250
47
226
5.5
M
226
0.3
1.3
120
1.0
6780
4210
85
685
281
19
9.5
M
227
0.2
1.0
80
1.6
5140
1580
95
930
38
172
7.5
M
228
0.5
1.1
112
1.6
5630
2760
125
1630
27
193
2.5
F
229
0.6
1.3
126
1.6
5730
1340
90
565
21
148
9.5
M
230
0.4
1.4
99
5220
1.5
2510
70
935
30
304
12.5
F
231
Table 6.
.......
01)
resis
Blood value s as deter mined by prote in elect ropho
8.
2~7
June
gh
from A~ril 9 throu
%
% Alpha l
Total
%
of
lin
Globu
of
in
Album
of
prote in
Age
Bear ID
total
Oml
GM/lO
total
Oml
GM/lO
total
Oml
number Sex (xear s) GM/lO
DAT A
N0
200
5
0.3
58
3.8
100
6.5
10.5
M
201
6
0.4
58
3.5
100
6.1
8.5
F
202
10
0.4
57
2.2
100
3.8
2.5
F
203
8
0.4
62
3.0
100
4.8
7.5
F
204
5
0.3
62
3.7
100
5.9
4.5
M
205
6
0.3
61
3.4
100
5.6
13.5
F
206
7
0.4
61
3.3
100
5.6
11.5
F
207
7
0.4
49
2.7
100
5.5
12.5
F
208
5
0.4
64
4.7
100
7.3
4.5
F
209
8
0.6
60
4.6
100
7.7
2.5
M
210
211
l3
1.0
61
4.6
100
7.4
10.5
F
212
6
0.4
68
4.7
100
7.0
10.5
F
213
7
0.5
57
3.8
100
6.7
3.5
M
214
6
0.4
73
4.7
100
6.5
2.5
F
215
7
0.6
62
5.0
100
8.0
10.5
M
216
8
0.6
62
4.9
100
7.8
3.5
M
217
218
219
7
0.5
61
4.3
100
7.0
5.5
F
220
4
0.3
73
5.1
100
7.0
8.5
F
221
6
0.5
65
5.3
100
8.2
11.5
M
222
7
0.5
61
4.1
100
6.6
2.5
M
223
8
0.5
65
4.3
100
6.6
2.5
M
224
7
0.5
67
4.8
100
7.2
4.5
M
225
4
0.3
60
4.9
100
8.1
5.5
M
226
5
0.4
63
5.1
100
8.0
9.5
M
227
5
0.4
60
4.7
100
7.8
7.5
M
228
8
0.6
66
4.7
100
7.2
2.5
F
229
6
0.4
67
4.8
100
7.1
9.5
M
230
8
0.6
60
5.0
100
8.3
12.5
F
231
7
0.5
54
3.6
100
6.7
1.5
F
232
DAT A
N0
233
ID
6
0.4
65
4.6
100
7.0
5.5
F
234
9
0.5
64
3.6
100
5.6
1.5
F
235
Table 7.
ina Basin
by sex and age for brown bear captu red in Nelch
Alpha 2
Glob ulin
GMLlOOml
%
of
tot~l
Packed
Gamma
%
%
Beta
cell
in/
%
Album
of
of Glob ulin
Glob ulin
e
volum
globin
Hemo
lin
Globu
total
Oml
GM/lO
GM/lOOml total
7
0.8
0.9
0.5
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.4
0.7
1.2
1.3
13
14
13
13
9
10
7
12
16
17
0.7
0.7
0.3
0.4
0.7
0.7
0.9
0.8
0.3
0.6
ll
ll
8
8
11
12
16
15
4
8
1.4
1.4
1.3
1.6
1.7
1.6
1.4
1.0
1.8
1.5
0.3
0.6
0.9
0.6
0.9
0.8
4
9
14
9
12
10
1.1
0.7
0.7
0.5
0.8
0.9
15
9
10
8
10
11
0.5
0.6
0.9
0.3
0.8
0.7
6
9
13
4
10
9
1.6
2.1
1.3
2.7
1.6
1.7
l.l
0.5
1.1
0.7
0.7
0.6
1.3
0.7
1.0
0.7
0.6
0.8
0.9
15
5
8
16
9
13
9
8
10
14
0.7
0.7
0.9
1.1
0.8
0.7
1.0
1.2
0.9
0.9
0.7
0.9
0.6
10
10
11
16
12
10
12
15
ll
12
9
10
9
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.3
0.3
0.7
0.7
0.6
0.9
0.4
0.7
1.0
1.0
7
7
6
5
5
10
8
8
1.6
2.7
1.8
1.6
1.8
2.0
1.5
1.7
0.7
0.5
9
10
0.7
0.5
9
9
0.7
0.5
0.9
0.7
0.5
0.4
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.9
0.8
0.6
13
11
12
8
12
11
8
17
11
l3
10
11
11
l.S
5
9
12
15
1.9
2.0
1.5
1.5
10
9
1.9
1.8
35
52
45
20+
20+
18
17.6
18.9
19
17
19
49
51
50
46
48
48
47
46
53
47
48
50
31
48
41
49
49
40
43
50
48
48
Table 8.
a
1\..,;
0
Summary of radio-col lared brown bear predation observati ons in the Nelchina and upper Susitna River
Basins from 26 May to 1 November 1978.
Bear
number
Sex-age(y r)
200
201
202
204
205
206
207
208
209
211
212
213
216
217
219
220
221
222
225
227
228
231
234
M- 7.5
M-10.5
F- 8.5
F- 8.5
M- 4.5
F-13.5
F-11.5
F-12.5
F- 4.5
M- 4.5
F-10.5
F-10.5
M-10.5
M- 3.5
F- 4.5
F- 5.5
F- 8.5
M-11.5
M- 4.5
M- 9.5
M- 7.5
F-12.5
F- 5.5
Family
status
No. of
observati on
days
single
single
single
w/2(1.5 yrs)
single
single
w/3(0.5 yrs)
single
single
single
single
single
single
single
single
w/1(1.5 yrs)
w/2(1.5 yrs)
single
single
single
single
single
w/2(1.5 yrs)
Total
5
20
25
25
29
31
23
33
22
16
17
16
10
17
12
29
28
11
25
8
Pre~
Moose
calves
2
5
2
3
2
1
9
Adult
moose
Beaver
Misc.a Total
0
3
6
3
1
1
l
6
2
9
1
4
1
1
2
1
l
1
3
1
5
l
l
1
l
l
19
5
1
ll
37
Includes small mammals and unidentif ied species.
1
1
1
2
2
l
l
l
437
Unidentif ied Adult
moose
caribou
28
2
l
2
1
4
3
2
4
4
2
15
2
1
0
2
l
4
2
4
6
4
5
l
l
2
l
78
Obs.
days/kill
0
6.7
4.2
8.3
3.2
7.8
11.5
2.2
11.0
16.0
0
8.0
10.0
4.3
6.0
7.3
4.7
2.8
5.0
8.0
11.0
9.5
5.0
5.6
revisited , but no revisiting was observed on moose calf
In addition, we probably failed to observe some
carcasses .
kills and observatio ns of some individua l bears were too
infrequen t to evaluate their summer food habits.
Based upon observatio n days, adult brown bears made a
They were observed on
kill every 5. 6 days (Table 8).
ungulate prey once every 6.1 days. Kill rates by individua l
bears were variable, ranging from no kills to a kill every
2.2 days. We compared ratios of observatio n days to number
of kills for each bear by family class (single boars and
and sows with
sows with 1.5 to 2.5-year- olds,
sows,
0.5-year-o lds) to determine if any particula r group was
Single adult sows had the
dispropor tionately represente d.
highest kill rate ( 1 kill/5. 0 days) while sows with young
no
However,
days).
(1 kill/8.5
lowest rate
had the
were
classes
family
by
statistica l differenc es in kill rates
detected (P>0.05), indicating that adult bears were preying
upon ungulates in the same proportio ns regardles s of family
Also, we could detect no differenc es (P>0.05) for
status.
mean number of kills/bea r between older (>6 years old) and
younger bears.
During the first half of summer 1978, moose were the
As summer
most numerous ungulate in the study area.
began
Herd
Caribou
progresse d, however, and the Nelchina
have
may
caribou
leaving the Kosina Creek calving grounds,
observed
not
were
Bears
become the most abundant ungulate.
on caribou kills until late summer. Caribou might have been
a more important prey i tern than our data indicate as
observatio ns were relatively infrequen t in late summer.
Identifica tion of brown bears as significa nt predators
of moose will create problems for game managers attempting
If bears of all age
to manage moose (Ballard et al. 1980).
and family classes are preying upon moose to the extent
indicated in this study, then simple manipulat ion of bear
sport hunting regulation s will not likely reduce the impact
of bear predation on moose.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Long-term brown bear studies should be initiated in
GMU 13 to monitor and determine productiv ity, mortality ,
and desirable
census methods,
year-roun d food habits,
This is particula rily important as results
harvest levels.
of moose calf mortality studies (Ballard et al. 1980, In
Press) have resulted in public requests for liberalize d bear
hunting seasons. The public perceptio n is that reduced bear
As pointed out
densities will increase moose populatio ns.
by Reynolds (1980), the populatio n statistics necessary to
adequately manage bears can be acquired only through
long-term studies.
21
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
Finan cial suppo rt for some porti ons of this study
,
prese nted as Appen dix II and parts of Appen dix
I, was
provi ded by the Game Divis ion (ADF&G) and the Burea u
of Land
Manag ement .
The assis tance provi ded by many Alask a Depa rtmen t
of
Fish and Game (ADF&G) perso nnel was the key to the
succe
ss
of
this
proje ct.
Cowo rkers;
Ken Taylo r,
Leon Metz,
John Vania ,
Sterl ing Eide,
Ron Ball
and
Mark Chihu ley,
willi ngly gave many extra hours of their time.
Karl Schne ider (ADF&G) provi ded leade rship and guida nce
at the Regio nal level and was instru ment al durin
g the
proje ct desig n.
years
Lee Glenn and Lee Mille r, both ADF&G, share d their many
of field exper ience captu ring and handl ing bears
.
Leon Metz,
Denn is McA lliste r,
tabul ation .
Don Corn elius ,
all
of
ADF&G,
Craig Garnd er,
assis ted
with
and
data
The autho rs also wish to expre ss speci al appre ciatio
n
to the pilot s:
Al Lee,
Ken Bunch , Richa rd Halfo rd and
Bud Lofst ed (heli copte r).
It was their exper ience and
that allow ed us to work safel y in many poten tially hazarskill
dous
situa tions .
LITERATURE CITED
Balla rd, W. B., and K. P. Taylo r.
1978a .
Upper Susit na
River moose popu lation study .
Alask a Dept. Fish and
Game, P-R Proj. Rep., W-17 -10, Job 1.20R .
Balla rd, W. B., and K. P. Taylo r.
1978b .
study .
Alask a Dept. Fish and Game,
W-17- 9 and W-17 -10, Job 1.23R .
Moose mort ality
P-R Proj . Rep.,
Balla rd, W. B., A. W. Franz mann , K. P. Taylo r, T.
Sprak er,
C. C. Schw artz, and R. 0. Peter son.
1979.
Comp arison
of
techn iques
utiliz ed
to
deter mine
moose
calf
mort ality
in Alask a.
Proc.
N.
Am.
Moose Conf.
Works hop, Kena i, Alask a. 15:36 2-387 .
Balla rd, w. B., and T. H. Sprak er.
1979.
Unit 13 wolf
studi es.
Alask a Dept. Fish and Game, P-R Proj. Rep.,
W-17- 9 and 10, Jobs 14.8R , 14.9R and 14.10 R.
Balla rd, W. B., K. P. Taylo r, and S. E. Eide. 1980a
. Upper
Susi tna Valle y moose popu lation study .
Alask a Dept.
Fish and Game, P-R Proj. Final Rep., W-17 -9.
22
l980b.
Ballard, W. B., S. D. Miller, and T. H. Spraker.
Moose calf mortali ty study, Game Managem ent Unit 13.
P-R Proj. Final Rep.,
Alaska Dept. Fish and Game.
W-17-9 and W-17-10 , Job 1.23R.
Gray wolf - brown bear
In Press.
B.
W.
Ballard,
relation ships in the Nelchina Basin of southce ntral
J. 0. Sullivan and P. C. Paquet, Co. Eds.
Alaska.
Proc. Portland Wolf Symp. Portland , Oregon (In Press).
In Press.
Ballard, W. B., T. H. Spraker, and K. P. Taylor.
in
ty
mortali
calf
moose
neonata l
of
Causes
Manage.
Wildl.
southce ntral Alaska. J.
Moose populati on
1974.
Bishop, B. H., and R. A. Rausch.
Can.
Nat.
2.
1950-107
Alaska
in
fluctuat ions
101:559 -93.
-----=- ---'
M. G. Hornock er, and F. G. Craighea d, Jr. 1969.
Reprodu ctive biology of young female grizzly bears. J.
Repro. Fert. Suppl. 6:447-47 5.
1975.
Franzman n, A. w., A. Flynn, and P. D. Arneson .
hair.
moose
Alaskan
in
elements
Levels of some mineral
J. Wildl. Manage. 39(2):37 4-378.
Franzman n, A. W., and P. D. Arneson . 1973. Moose Research
Center studies. Alaska Dept. Fish and Game, P-R Proj.
Rep., W-17-5. 117 pp. (multil ith).
Report on 1970 brown bear studies.
1971.
Glenn, L. P.
Alaska Dept. Fish and Game, P-R Proj. Rep., W-17-2 and
W-17-3.
1972.
and Game, P-R Proj. Rep., W-17-3 and
Fish
Alaska Dept.
W-17-4.
1973.
Fish
Alaska Dept.
W-17-5.
1975.
Alaska Dept. Fish and Game, P-R Proj. Rep., W-17-6 and
W-17-7.
1976.
Fish
Alaska Dept.
W-17-8.
23
Full er, T. K., and L. B. Keit h.
1980 .
Wolf popu latio n
dyna mics
and
prey
rela tion ship s
in
Albe rta. J. Wild l. Mana ge. 44(3 ):58 3-60 2. nort heas tern
Hen sel, R. J., w. A. Troy er, and A. W.
Eric
Repr oduc tion in the fema le brow n bear . kson .
J.
Mana ge. 33(2 ):35 7-36 5.
1969 .
Wild l.
John son, A., and C. Luci er.
1975 . Hem atox ylin 11 hot bath 11
stai ning tech niqu es for agin g by coun
ts of toot h
ceme ntum annu li.
Unpu bl. Rep t., Alas ka Dept . Fish and
Game, Anch orag e. 29 pp.
Mech , L. D.
1974 .
Curr ent tech niqu es in the stud y of
elus ive wild erne ss carn ivor es.
Proc . of XI. Inte rnat .
Cong ress of Game Bio l., pp. 315- 322.
Mcil roy, c.
1974 .
Wolf surv ey and inve ntor y prog ress
repo rt - 1972 .
In Annu al repo rt of surv ey-i nven tory
acti viti es, Part TII.
Fed. Aid in Wild l. Res. Proj .
W-17 -5. pp. 30-3 4 (mu ltili th).
Pear son, A. M.
1972 .
Popu latio n char acte risti
nort hern inte rior griz zly in the Yuko n cs of the
Terr itory
Cana da.
Bear s - thei r biol ogy and mana geme nt. Proc,
.
Int. Conf . Bear Res. Mana ge. Int. Unio n for
Cons
erv.
of
Natu re and Nat. Reso ur. Su. No. 23.
Raus ch, R. A. 1967 . Some aspe cts of the popu
latio n ecol ogy
of wolv es, Alas ka Amer . Zool . 7:25 3-26 5.
Raus ch,
R. A.
1969 .
A summ ary of wolf stud ies in
sout hcen tral Alas ka, 1957 -196 8. Tran sl. 34th
N. Amer .
Wild l.
Nat.
Res.
Con f.,
Wild l.
Mana ge.
Inst .,
Was hing ton D.C. pp. 117- 131.
Reyn olds , H. V.
1974 .
Nort h slop e griz zly bear
Alas ka Dept . Fish and Game, P-R Proj . Rep. stud ies.
, W-17 -6.
Reyn olds , H. V.
1976 .
Nort h slop e griz zly bear stud ies.
Alas ka Dept . Fish and Game, P-R Proj . Rep. ,
W-17 -6 and
W-17 -7.
Step hens on, R. o.
1978 . Unit 13 wolf stud y.
ka Dep t.
Fish and Game, P-R Proj . Rep. , W-17 -8. 75 Alas
pp.
Ston ebur g,
R.
P. ,
and
C.
J.
Jonk el.
Age
dete rmin atio n of blac k bear s by ceme ntum 1966 .
laye
rs.
J.
Wild l. Mana ge. 30(2 ):41 1-41 4.
Wood, R. E. 1973 . Sout heas tern brow n bear
stud ies. Alas ka
Dept . Fish and Game, P-R Proj . Rep. , W-17 -4,
Job 4.5R .
24
Wood, R. E. 1974. Southeast ern brown bear studies. Alaska
Dept. Fish and Game, P-R Proj. Rep., W-17-6, Job 4.7R.
1976. Movement and populatio ns of brown bears
.
Alaska
1n the Hood Bay drainage of Admiralty Island.
and
W-17-6
W-17-5,
Rep.,
Proj.
P-R
Dept. Fish and Game,
W-17-7.
----~--~
PREPARED BY:
Ted H. Spraker, Warren Ballard
and sterlins D. Miller
Game Biolog1st s
SUBMITTED BY:
Karl B. Schneider
Regional Research Coordinat or
W\~
~~~
Research Ch1ef, D1v1sion
of Game
25
Appen dix I.
Home Range , Daily Move ments , Breed ing and Denni ng Activ
ity of Brown
Bears in South centr al Alask a
WARREN B. BALLARD, STERLING D. MILLER, and TED H. SPRAK
ER
Alask a Depa rtmen t of Fish and Game, P.O. Box 47, Glenn
allen , Alask a
99588
Balla rd, W. B., s. D. Mille r, and T. H. Sprak er. Home
range , daily
movem ents,
breed ing,
and denni ng activ ity of Brown Bears in
south centr al Alask a. Canad ian Fiel d- Natu ralis t 95(
):
Abstr act:
Twen ty-thr ee radio -coll ared adult Brow n/Gri zzly Bean:,
(Ursu s arcto s) were studi ed in the Nelch ina Basin of
south centr al
Alask a durin g 1978 and 1979.
Radio -colla red bears were seen on
85.4% o~ 644 radio locat ions. Home range s of adult femal
e~ avera ged
408 km
while those of adult males avera ged 769 km .
Daily
movem ents of males avera ged 7.7 km/d while those of femal
es
avera
ged
7.0 km/d. Three femal es succe ssful ly bred at 3.5 years
of
age,
two
at 4.5 years and one at 5.5 years . Breed ing occur red
durin
g
May
and
June.
The avera ge litte r size was 1.9 young inclu ding both 0.5-a
nd
1. 5-yea r-old young .
It was hypo thesiz ed that . first year cub
mort ality was high and that sows with cubs were unde rrepr
esent ed in
the samp le.
Most bears enter ed dens in late Octob er and emerg ed
betwe en 9 April and 12 May.
Resu lts from this study were compa red
with other studi es in North Amer ica.
Key Words :
Brown Bear, Ursus arcto s, home range ,
movem ents, denni ng, breed ing, litte r size
daily
Alask an Brown Bear ecolo gy has been inves tigat ed on
the
Alask a
Penin sula
(Glen n
1972,
1976) ,
Kodia k
Islan
d
(Hens el et al. 1969) , the Brook s Range (Reyn olds 1974,
1976,
1980) and on Admi ralty Islan d in south easte rn Alask a
(Klei n
1958, Wood 1976) .
All of these studi es have focus ed on
coast al or arcti c popu lation s.
studi es have not
condu cted on inter ior Alask an Brown Bear popu lation s been
which
in recen t years have been subje cted to incre asing level
s of
sport harve st (Alas ka Depa rtmen t of Fish and Game [ADF&
G]
files ). This study repor ts on some aspec ts of Brown
Bear
biolo gy basic to manag ement of popu lation s in Alask a's
Manag ement Unit (GMU) 13, comm only refer red to as Game
the
Nelch ina Basin .
Preda tion by Brown Bears was inten sivel y studi ed
1978 and 1979 in respo nse to resul ts of Moose (Alce s durin g
alces
gigas ) studi es impli catin g Bear preda tion as a signi
f1can
t
cause of Moose calf mort ality
(Ball ard et al.
1980)
.
Resu lts of the Bear preda tion study were prese nted elsew
here
(Ball ard et al. 1981, Sprak er et al. 1980) . Sex-a ge
26
Ballard et al.:
Brown Bear Home Ranges, Alaska.
and denning
size
range
home
product ivity,
structur e,
on were
populati
d
unstudie
sly
previou
this
of
activity
study.
n
predatio
the
to
tal
inciden
assessed
Study Area
The study was conducte d in the Nelchina and upper Susitna
Much of ~he area is
River Basins of southce ntral Alaska.
of which
an area of 61,595 km
containe d 2 in GMU 13,
hy,
Topograp
is above 1200 m in elevatio n.
18,798 km
been
have
geology, vegetati on and climate of the area
thorough ly describe d (Skoog 1968, Rausch 1969, Bishop and
In this report the area is
Rausch 1974, Ballard 1981).
called the Nelchina Basin.
Studies in 1978, includin g home range determi nations, were
concent rated in GMU 13 Subunits 13A, 13B and eastern half of
Followup studies in
13E describe d by Spraker et al. 1980.
1979, whic~ involved capturin g and transpla nting Bears from
a 3, 436 km portion of the Nelchina Basin, were done near
the headwat ers of the Susi tna River, an area where Brown
1 Bear/41 km 2
be
to
estimate d
was
density
Bear
(Ballard et al. 1980).
Procedu res
From 8 April-23 June 1978, 36 Brown Bears were immobil ized
with phencyc lidine hydroch loride (Glenn 1971) utilizin g
Data
helicop ter darting techniqu es {Sprake r et al. 1980).
between
nted
on an addition al 48 Bears captured and transpla
22 May and 22 June 1979, includin g eight recaptur es of 1978
in
included
are
1980),
Ballard
and
{Miller
Bears
size,
litter
calculat ions of age of sexual maturity , average
Four cubs were
and surviva l of young.
product ivity,
23,
captured by hand. Each adult Bear captured in 1978 (n
collar
radio
a
general ly 4 yr old) was equipped with
{Telonic s, Mesa, AZ), ear-tagg ed with red plastic roto-tag s
{Oberach pat., Ltd., London, England ), weighed , measured
(Glenn 1972), and had both lower premola rs extracte d for age
determi nation by methods similar to those describe d by
Stonebu rg and Jonkel (1966).
=
Radio-c ollared Bears were observed twice daily for the
first 2 weeks of study, once daily through the remaind er of
June 1978, and once per week subsequ ently. These bears were
radio-lo cated from fixed-wi ng aircraf t accordin g to methods
describe d by Mech (1974), and radio location s were plotted
This portion of the study was
on l: 250,000 scale maps.
termina ted in summer 1979.
Minimum home ranges of individu al Bears were estimate d by
Area of
connecti ng outermo st radio location s (Mohr 1947).
the resultin g polygon was determin ed with a Numonic s Model
1224 electron ic digitize r. Daily movemen ts were determin ed
?. 7
Balla rd et al.:
Brown Bear Home Range s, Alask a.
by
measu ring
strai ght-l ine
dista nces
moved
betwe en
obser vatio ns on conse cutiv e days.
Measu remen ts of these
dista nces were accur ate to ±0.8 km.
Resu lts and Discu ssion
Appa rently femal e Nelch ina Basin Brown Bears attai n sexua
l
matu raty at a sligh tly young er age than that deter mined
for
other areas of North Amer ica.
Age of sexua l matu
other areas of Alask a range d from 3. 5 to 6. 5 years rity in
Alask a Penin sula (Glen n et al. 1976) and Kodia k on the
Islan d
(Hens el et al. 1969) , and from 6. 5 to 12.5 years of age
in
the Brook s Range (Reyn olds 1976 and 1980) .
In the Yukon
Terri tory, Pears on (1975 ) repor ted that Grizz lies
sexua l matu rity betwe en 5 and 7 years of age. reach
Yello wston e Natio nal Park, Craig head et al. (1969 ) repor In
that altho ugh some femal es bred at 3.5 years of age they ted
not produ ce cubs; sexua l matu rity was reach ed betwe en did
4. 5
and 8. 5 years of age.
In this study three 5. 5-yea r-old
femal es (2 in 1978 Table 1, and 1 in 1979) were accom
by yearl ing young indic ating that these femal espanie d
had
succe ssful ly bred at 3. 5 years of age.
Of 13 femal es
unacc ompa nied by young at the time of initi al captu
were lacta ting and in estru s (ages 8. 5, 10.5, 12.5, re, 5
12.5,
and 13.5) ,
7 were not lacta ting but were in estru s
(ages 3. 5, 4. 5, 4. 5, 4. 5, 4. 5, 4. 5, and 5. 5) and
neith er lacta ting nor in estru s (age 2.5). Only one 1 was
femal es that was in estru s but not lacta ting in 1978 of the
age 4.5) was seen again in 1979; in 1979 this femal e (#209 ,
cubs but was again in estru s. Two femal es 6.5 years had no
of age
had yearl ing young indic ating succe ssful breed ing at
years of age and one addit ional femal e had succe ssful ly 4. 5
bred
at 5.5
years
of age.
Eight other captu red femal es
(ages 8-16) were accom panie d by cubs or yearl ings but
these
may have had previ ous litte rs as well.
Altho ugh sexua l
matu rity in the Nelch ina popu lation may be reach ed at
3. 5
years , most femal es proba bly matur e at 4.5 years .
Two
femal es
accom panie d by 2. 5-yea r-old young
origi nally captu red in 1978, were subse quent ly obser ved when
with
other adult Bears indic ating breed ing activ ity after
a
3 year inter val.
One of these sows was not obser ved the
follow ing sprin g, but the other was obser ved the follow
ing
sprin g witho ut cubs.
One 10-ye ar-ol d sow, captu red in the
sprin g of 1978 with a singl e yearl ing, never was obser
ved
again with this
yearl ing,
a proba ble captu re-in duced
separ ation .
This sow was subse quent ly obser ved
the
compa ny of other adult Bears and in the sprin g in
of
the
follow ing year she had two newbo rn cubs.
There fore, she
succe ssful ly bred the same sprin g she lost her yearl ing
cub,
a repro ducti ve inter val of 2 years .
Bears obser ved in this study had an avera ge of 1.9 young
per litte r (inclu des both cub and yearl ing litte rs); fallin
g
28
Ballar d et al.:
Table l.
Bear No.
in the Nelchin a Basin study area
Summary of sex, age and radio locatio n data for 23 Broh'n Bear studied
during 1978 and 1979.
Denning dates
Dail~ movement~ - 1978
Range
e Emerge nce
Entranc
Reprod uctive Hadio1 ocation
1979
1978
km2
m)
Range(k
~(km)
Period
1979
1978
status
Sex-age
------~-·~---~--
N
<D
241.4
5/28-6/ 22
8.5
2.4-18 .4
305.1
5/30-6 /9
6.1
0.8-20 .8
10/27
580.7
6/2-6/2 4
9.0
0.0-25 .6
10/19
37
439.0
5/29-6/ 21
12.3
0.0-34 .4
w/2-2.5 yr
28
523.4
5/29-6/ 20
ll.O
3.2-30 .4
w/2 1.5 yr
34
859.9
6/4-6/2 1
4.6
0.0-9.6
10
breedin g
21
222.2
5/29-6/ 21
7.5
3.2-16 .0
-
10
w/1-1.5 yr
23
1
193.5
5/29-6/ 22
3.7
0.0-16 .8
w/3-0. 5 yr
43
7
307.4
5/28-6/ 24
0.0-8.8
-
ll
2.9
<.;>
208
-
12
alone
46
1
733.5
5/28-6. 20
7.2
1.6-16 .0
10/25+
<.;>
231
20
16
262.9
6/ll-6/ 21
10/25
206
45
4
223.3
5/28-6/ 23
0.0-14 .4
10/19
-
13
4.3
<.;>
breedin g,
w/ma1e 228
breedin g,
w/ma1e 205
2.4-12 .0
-
12
7.4
<.;>
234
<.;>
-
5
w/2-1. 5 yr
6
209
<.;>
-
4
alone
25
219
<.;>
-
4
breedin g
20
220
<.;>
-
5
w/1-1.5 yr
39
202
<.;>
-
8
breedin g,
w/ma1e 201
204
<.;>
-
7
221
<.;>
-
8
212
<.;>
-
213
<.;>
207
l
7
2
.k
10/25
10/27
5/19-31
5/9-19
Table l (cont.)
Bear No.
}j
*
(...'
L:)
Sex-age
Reproduc tive
status
Range
Radioloca tion
1978
1979
km2
Daily movements - 1978
Period
i(km)
Range(km)
217
d -
3
alone
19
281.5
6/5-6/25
5.6
0.0-12.8
205
d -
4
w/sow 206
41
798.0
5/27-6/28
7.4
0.0-18.4
211
d -
4
w/sow 212
19
l
472.2
5/29-6/21
4.5
0.0-12.0
225
d -
4
alone
28
5
1038.1
6/4-6/21
3.2
0.0-9.6
200
d -
7
alone
6
4
312.9
228
d -
7
w/sow 231
14
1252.0
6/15-6/20
27.2
227
d -
9
w/sow
l3
495.5
6/13-6/17
3.7
0.0-8.8
201
d -
10
w/sow 202
24
2
1381.5
5/29-6/19
15.8
216
d -
10
alone
14
l
586.1
5/29-6/3
222
d- ll
alone
25
2
1069.7
6/5-6/21
Does not include Bear captured and transplan ted in 1979.
Home range size not determine d.
Denning dates
Entrance Emergence
1978
1979
10/25+
10/19+
4/9
1.6-43.2
10/27
4/16-22
3.2
0.0-8.0
10/23
6.2
0.0-16.0
17.6-37.6
Ballard et al.:
within the range of litter sizes reported elsewhe re in North
On the basis of our limited sample,
America (Table 2).
Nelchina Basin Bears appear to have smaller litters than
those recorded for coastal Brown Bear populati ons but
interior
other
from
those
with
size
in
compara ble
with
litters
of
(n=4)
sample
small
our
populat ions. Due to
litter
that
suspect
we
ty
mortali
cub
high
newborn cubs and
sizes for Nelchina Bears may be larger than availab le data
The small sample of sows with newborn cubs in
indicate .
1978 ( 1 compared with 4 yearling litters and 1 litter of
2-year-o lds) probably resulted from capture biases against
Sows with newborn cubs are
these particu lar family groups.
less likely to be seen
and
e
secretiv
more
be
to
d
suspecte
Bears (Miller and
other
than
t
aircraf
ng
from fixed-wi
been made by Glenn
have
tions
observa
Similar
1980).
Ballard
This hypothe sis
la.
Peninsu
Alaska
the
for
(1980)
and Miller
efforts in a
capture
1979
of
results
the
by
ened
was strength
only one
1978,
in
as
when,
area
study
1978
the
of
portion
with
sows
seven
although
captured
was
cubs
newborn
sow with
been
have
must
sows
seven
These
.
captured
were
s
yearling
the
by
found
not
were
but
cubs,
newborn
with
1978
in
present
.
utilized
es.
techniqu
search
t
aircraf
ng
fixed-wi
Our hypothe sis of high cub mortali ty in the Nelchina Bear
populati on is supporte d by the relative ly small size of
yearling litters (Table 2) and by observa tions of cub
Of eight newborn cubs in three litters, only one
losses.
is known to have survived to 1.5 years of age.
al
individu
of the lost cubs were transpla nted along with
two
1979,
In
location and their loss may be related
another
to
sow
their
two others were lost subsequ ent to
nce,
disturba
this
to
entering their 1978/79 den but prior to our first sighting
of the sow in late May 1979 and two cubs (in an origina l
litter of 3) were lost between 8 June and 11 June 1979.
Causes of cub mortali ty are unknown but predatio n by adult
males may be signific ant as suggeste d by Reynold s ( 1980).
For example, on 1 July a sow and the single cub, survivo r of
a litter of three, were observed running from a single adult
Bear.
Radio-c ollared Bears were observed on 85.4% of the
occasion s they were radio-lo cated (n=644). Observa bility of
Absence of
individu al Bears varied from 59. 3% to 97.2%.
tions
observa
site
den
with
ed
associat
often
was
tion
observa
.
searches
thorough
more
d
preclude
which
terrain
s
or hazardou
where
terrain,
flat
ly
relative
on
observed
Bears
For
three
with
sow 207
possible ,
were
searches
thorough
(84.0%).
observed
tly
frequen
least
the
was
cubs
r-old
0.4-yea
Relative to other adult Bears, sows with newborn cubs
appeared more secretiv e in behavio r, frequen tly hiding in
dense bushes .
were
Bears
fem~e
radio-co~lared
of
. Ho~e. ranges
to
193.5
range
,
km
407.7
=
x
(P<0.05,
smaller
cantly
s1gn1f1
31
Table
w
N
2.
Brown Bear litter sizes reported in various North American studies.
Average litter size (No. of litters observed)
Age of i':Oung
0.5
1.5
0.5-1.5
Source
Area
Pearson 1975
Southwes tern Yukon Territory
l. 7 (11)
l.S(ll)
1. 6(22)
Martinka 1974
Glacier Natl. Park, Montana
1. 7(35)
1. 8(30)
1. 7 (65)
This study
Nelchina Basin, Alaska
2.8(4)
1.6(11)
1. 9(15)
Reynolds 1976
Eastern Brooks Range, Alaska
l. 8(13)
2.0(7)
1.9(20)
Reynolds 1980 & pers. comm.
Western Brooks Range, Alaska
2.0(24)
2.3(8)
2.1(32)
Mundy 1963
Glacier National Park, B.C.
l. 9 (81)
1. 8(45)
l. 9 (126)
Klein 1958
Southeast ern Alaska
2.2(25)
l. 9(35)
2.0(60)
Glenn et al. 1976 & updated
McNeil River, Alaska
2.2(27)
l. 8(20)
2.0(47)
Glenn et al. 1976 & updated
Black Lake, Alaska Peninsula
2.1(19)
2.1(51)
2.1(70)
Hensel et al. 1969
Kodiak Island, Alaska
2.2(98)
2.0(103)
2.1(201)
Craighead et al. 1976
Yellowsto ne National Park
2.2(68)
Ballard et al.:
2
2
733. 5 km ) than male home 2 ranges which averaged 768.7 km
(range 281. 5 to 1381. 5 km ) . fombini ng sexes yielded an
Home ranges 2 of females
average home range of 571.9 km .
= 451.2 km } did not
yrs,
accompa nied by young (<2.5
ranges of single
home
from
05)
differ signific antz-y ( p:>o.
(>6 yrs)
Bears
older
ly,
General
(364.4 km }.
females
but
Bears,
younger
than
ranges
home
appeared to have larger
trends
These
05).
0.
(P>
ant
signific
differen ces were not
were similar to those reported by Pearson (1975) in SW Yukon
Territor y except that Yukon sows with cubs had smaller home
ranges than sows accompa nied by older young ( 1. 5 and 2. 5
This may be the case for Nelchina Bears as
years old).
In the
well, but it could not be shown with availabl e data.
home
that
ed
determin
(1980)
Reynolds
western Brooks Range,
breeding
follows:
as
ively
success
range size declined
males, breeding females, sub-adu lt females, and females with
offsprin g. As has been reported elsewhe re in North America
(Craighe ad and Craighea d 1967; Mundy and Flook 1973; Pearson
1975; Reynold s 1980), the home ranges of Nelchina Basin
Bears were not exclusiv e and conside rable, to complete ,
overlap existed in the home ranges of all sex and age
groups.
x
Average home range sizes of Nelchina Basin Bears were
compared with those reported elsewhe re in North America
northwe st Alaskan male Bears,
Except for
(Table 3).
home ranges than those reported
larger
Nelchina Bears had
Geograp hic differen ces in home
.
elsewhe re in North America
availab ility.
food
reflect
range sizes probably
Average daily movemen ts of the 23 radio-co llared Brown
Bears ranged from 2. 9 to 27.2 km/d during late May and June
Males averaged 7.7 km/d while females
1978 (Table 1).
averaged 7. 0 km/d, a differen ce which was not signific ant,
Individu al Bear movemen ts ranged from 0. 0 to
(P> 0. 05).
8. 0 km/d for Bear 216 to 17.6 to 37.6 km/d for male 228.
Pearson (1975) stated that daily activiti es and movemen ts of
Bears were associat ed with food gatherin g througho ut the
year except, possibly , during the breeding season when male
females.
of
movemen ts
by
influenc ed
were
movemen ts
We were
es.
activiti
both
Movemen ts presente d here reflect
daily
in
ces
differen
(P>O.OS)
unable to detect signific ant
or
status,
family
age,
sex,
movemen ts based on either
Bears.
al
individu
of
predatio n rates (Spraker et al. 1980)
Reynolds ( 1980) pointed out that calculat ions of daily
movemen t were correlat ed, to some degree, with the length of
For Bears where observa tions were
time between sighting s.
separate d by less than 2 d, western Brooks Range males moved
6.0 km and females moved 4.0 km, both of which were shorter
distance s than those reported in this study when consecu tive
observa tion days were used.
33
Table 3.
Compar ison of reporte d home range sizes of Brown/ Grizzly Bears
in North America (adapte d from Reynold s 1980).
Area
Yellow stone Nation al
Park
Southw estern Yukon
Northe rn Yukon
Western Montana
Nelchin a Basin
Northw estern Alaska
Sex
Sample
size
Average
home range km 2
~
6
161
~
14
73
cJ
5
287
~
8
86
cJ
9
414
~
12
73
~
3
513
~
1
104
~
10
769
~
12
408
~
8
1350
~
18
344
Source
Craighe ad 1976
Pearson 1975
Pearson 1976
Rockwe ll et al. 1978
This study
Reynold s 1980
34
Ballar d et al.:
Breed ing activ ity was in progr ess in late May when the
captu re phase of the study was initia ted and contin ued
throug h the third week of June . These dates corres ponde d
with obser vation s in Mt. McKin ley Natio nal Park (Murie
We observ ed copul ations on 7 and 12 June 1978. Of
1944) .
112 visua l obser vation s of radio -colla red Bears accom panied
by other adult Bears in 1978, 96% occur red during May and
Only 80% of all obser vation s were in this ~eriod, a
.June.
signi fican t differ ence from expec ted value s (X = 18.3,
P<0.0 01). Fiftee n of the 17 radio -colla red Bears (exclu ding
6 bears accom panied by cubs and yearli ngs) were observ ed
The two
with other adult Bears during this time period .
by
panied
accom
ally
Female 209, origin
excep tions includ ed:
(217)
male
and
lost,
ly
a 2. 5-yr-o ld which was subse quent
Sows
(3.5 yr).
which was proba bly sexua lly immat ure
in
ed
observ
not
were
accom panied by cubs or yearli ngs
assoc iation with other Bears .
Bears began visiti ng den sites in early Octob er. Of eight
Bears for which data were availa ble, seven entere d dens
betwee n 17 and 27 Octob er 1978. One female (208) was near,
but not yet in the den on 25 Octob er when she was last
observ ed. Bear emerg ence in spring 1979 ranged from 9 April
Sows accom panied by young gener ally remain ed at
to 12 May.
den sites longe r than single adults , one Bear remain ed as
These obser vation s were simila r to those
late as 31 May.
report ed elsew here in North Ameri ca (Murie 1944, Craigh ead
and Craigh ead 1972, Pearso n 1975 and other s).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
K. Taylo r, s. Eide, L. Metz and C. Gardn er, all Alask a
Depar tment of Fish and Game (ADF&G), partic ipated in the
L. Metz and D. McAl lister
field aspec ts of the proje ct.
L. Glenn and
both (ADF&G) assist ed with data analy sis.
l captu re
initia
with
assist ed
(both ADF&G)
L. Mille r,
review ed
)
ADF&G
(both
K. Schne ider and L. Glenn
effor ts.
stions
sugge
ous
numer
made
early drafts of the manus cript and
a
Alask
by
part
in
rted
The study was suppo
for improv ement.
in
and
W-17-R
ct
Proje
Feder al Aid in Wildl ife Resto ration
part by the Alaska Depar tment of Fish and Game, Divis ion of
Game.
LITERATURE CITED
1980.
Balla rd, w. B., S. D. Mille r, and T. H. Sprak er.
13.
Unit
ement
Manag
Moose calf morta lity study, Game
Rep.,
Final
Proj.
P-R
Alaska Dept. Fish and Game,
W-17-9 and W-17- 10. 123 pp
1981.
Ballar d, W. B., T. H. Sprak er, and K. P. Taylo r.
l
centra
South
in
lity
Cause s of Neona tal Moose Calf Morta
).
Alask a. J. Wildl . Manag e. (in press
35
Bal lard et al.:
Brow n Bea r Home Ran ges, Ala ska .
Bal lard , W. B. 198 1. Gra y Wol f-Br own
Bea
the Nel chin a Bas in of Sou thce ntra r Rel atio nsh ips in
l Ala ska .
J. D.
Sul liva n and P. C. Paq uet, Co. , Eds
.
Pro
c.
Por
tlan d
Wol f Symp. Por tlan d, Ore gon (in pre ss).
Bish op, B. H., and R. A. Rau sch.
197 4.
Moo se pop ulat ion
fluc tua tion s
in
Ala ska
195 0-19 72.
Nat .
Can .
101 :559 -93.
Cra ighe ad,
J.
J.,
and F.
c. Cra
ad,
Jr.
196 7.
Man agem ent of bea rs in Yel low ston e ighe
Nat
iona
l
Par k, Mimeo
Rep ort. 118 pp.
Cra ighe ad, J. J., M. G. Hor noc ker, and
F. G. Cra ighe ad, Jr.
196 9.
Rep rodu ctiv e bio log y of you ng fem ale
griz zly
bea rs. J. Rep ro. Fer t. Sup pl. 6:44 7-47
5.
Cra ighe ad, F. c. Jr. and J. J. Cra
ighe ad.
197 2.
Gri zzly
pre hib ern atio n and den ning act ivit ies
as
dete
rmi
ned by
rad io trac kin g. Wil dl. Mon ogr. 32.
35 pp.
Cra ighe ad, F. c. Jr. 197 6. Gri zzly
Bea r rang e and mov eme nt
as
dete rmi ned by rad iotr ack ing .
bio log y and man agem ent by M. Pel ton In Bea rs-- The ir
E. Fol k, eds . IUCN New Ser ies 40:9 7-1, J. Len tfer , and
10.
Cra ighe ad, J. J. , F. C . Cra ighe ad,
Jr., and J. Sum ner.
197 6.
Rep rodu ctiv e cyc les and rate s in the
Gri zzly
Bea r, Urs us arc tos hor rib ilis , of
the
Yel
low
Eco syst em.
In Bea rs-- thel .r b1.o logy and man agem ston e
ent by
M. Pel ton , J. Len t fer, and E. Fol
k, eds .
IUCN New
Ser ies 40:9 7-11 0.
Gle nn, L. P.
197 1.
Rep ort on 1970 brow
Ala ska Dep t. Fish and Game. P-R Pro j. n bea r stu die s.
Rep ., W-1 7-2 and
W-1 7-3.
Gle nn, L. P.
197 2.
Rep ort on 1971 brow n bea r stu die s.
Ala ska Dep t. Fish and Game. P-R Pro
j. Rep ., W-1 7-3 and
W-1 7-4.
Gle nn, L. P.
197 6.
Rep ort on 1975 brow
Ala ska Dep t. Fish and Game. P-R Pro j. n bea r stu die s.
Rep ., W-1 7-7 and
W-1 7-8.
Gle nn, L. P., J. W. Len tfer , J. Faro
, and L. Mil ler. 197 6.
Rep rod ucti ve biol ogy of fem ale brow
arc tos) in McN eil Riv er area , Ala ska. n bea rs (Ur sus
In Bears-~their
bio log y and man agem ent, by Pel ton ,
Len
t fer, and Folk
(ed s.).
IUCN Pub !. New Ser ies 40:3 81-3 90.
Gle nn, L. P., and L. H. Mil ler. 198
0.
of an Ala ska Pen insu la Brow n Bea Sea son al mov eme nts
In
Bea rs-- The ir Bio logy and Man agem ent,r pop ulat ion .
by
Mar
tink
a
and
McA rthu r (ed s.).
Pub !. Bea r Bio logy Con f. Ass oc.
ser ies 3:31 3-31 9.
·
IIIIo·-·
38
Balla rd et al.:
1969.
Hens el, R. J., W. A. Troye r, and w. W. Erick son. Manag e.
l.
Wild
J.
Repro ducti on in the femal e brown bear
33(2) :357- 365.
South east Alask a Brown Bear Studi es.
1958.
Klein , D. R.
Alask a Dept. Fish and Game PR Proje ct Job Comp letion
Work Plan J. (unpu blish ed).
Repo rt Proje ct W-3-R -13,
Popu lation char acter istics
1974.
c. J.
Marti nka,
Grizz ly Bears in Glac ier Natio nal Park, Monta na.
Mamm. 55:21 -29.
of
J.
Curre nt techn iques in the study of
1974.
Mech, L. D.
Proc. of XI Inter nat.
elusi ve wilde rness carni vores .
22.
315-3
pp.
Cong ress of Game Bio.,
Mohr,
1947. Table of equiv alent popu lation s of North
Amer ican Midla nd Natu ralis t
Amer ican small mamm als.
37(1) :223- 249.
c.
0.
1963. Ecolo gy of the Grizz ly Bear (Ursu s
Mundy , K. R. D.
arcto s L.) in Glac ier Natio nal Park, Briti sh Colum bia.
103 pp.
M.Sc. Thesi s, Univ. of Albe rta, Edmo nton.
Backg round for
1973.
Mundy , K. R. D., and D. R. Flook .
of Canad a.
Parks
nal
Natio
the
in
manag ing grizz ly bears
pp.
35
22.
No.
Ser.
Can. Wild l. Serv. Rept.
Estim ates of the
1980.
Mille r, s .D. and W. B. Balla rd.
Inter ior Alask an
an
of
ss
bioma
and
densi ty, struc tures
Balla rd et al.
In
V
dix
Appen
.
Brown bear popu lation
Proje ct Final
P-R
Game,
and
Fish
(1980 ) Alask a Dept.
-12. 123 pp.
W-21
and
11
W-17-10,
Repo rt W-17 -9, W-17
Murie , A. 1944. The wolve s of Moun t McKi nley.
Park Serv. , Fauna Ser. 5. 238 pp.
U.
s. Natl.
The north ern inter ior grizz ly bear
1975.
Pears on, A. M.
(Ursu s arcto s) Can. Wild l. Serv. Rep. No. 34. 86 pp.
Popu lation char acter istic s of the
1976.
Pears on, A. M.
In Bears --The ir Biolo gy
Arcti c moun tain grizz ly bear.
and Manag ement by M. Pel ton, J .-Len tfer, and E. Fold,
eds. IUCN New Serie s 40:24 7-260 .
A summ ary of wolf studi es in
1969.
A.
R.
Rausc h,
1957- 1968. Trans . N. Am. Wild l.
in
south centr al Alask a
34:11 7-131 .
P.,
and Nat. Resou r. Co.
1974.
Reyn olds, H. v.
Alask a Dept. Fish
North slope grizz ly bear studi es.
and Game. P-R Proj. Rep., W-17 -6.
North slope grizz ly bear studi es.
1975.
Reyn olds, H. v.
Alask a Dept. Fish and Game, P-R Proj. Rep., W-17 -6.
37
Ballard et al.:
Reynold s, H. V.
1976.
North slope grizzly bear studies.
Alaska Dept. Fish and Game. P-R Proj. Rep., W-17-6 and
W-17-7.
Reynold s, H. V.
1980.
Structur e, status, reprodu ctive
biology
movemen ts,
distribu tion,
and
habitat
utilizat ion of a grizzly bear populati on. Alaska Dept.
Fish and Game. P-R Proj. Rep., W-17-ll .
Rockwel l, s. K., J. L. Perry, M. Haroldso n, and C. Jonkel.
1978.
Vegetat ion studies of disturbe d grizzly bear
habitat.
In C. Jonkel, ed. Third Annv. Rep. Border
Grizzly Pro]ect. Univ. of Montana School of Forestry ,
Miss. 256 pp.
Skoog,
R.
1968.
Ecology of caribou (Rangife r tarandus
in Alaska PhD Thesis, Univ. of Californ ia,
Berkeley , Californ ia. 699 pp.
0.
granti)
Spraker, T. H., W. B. Ballard, and S. D. Miller.
1980.
Feeding Behavio r of Interior Brown Bears. Alaska Dept.
of Fish and Game. P-R Proj. Final Rep., W-17-10 and
W-17-ll .
Stonebe rg,
R.
P.,
and
C.
J.
Jonkel.
1966.
determi nation of black bear by cementum layers.
Wildl. Manage. 30(2):41 1-414.
Age
J. of
Wood, R. E.
1976. Movemen t and populati ons of brown bears
in the Hood Bay drainage of Admiral ty Island. Alaska
Dept. Fish and Game, P-R Proj. Final Rep., W-17-6 and
W-17-7.
38
Appen dix I I .
Homin g of Trans plante d Alaska n Brown Bears
Sterli ng Mille r, Alaska Depar tment of Fish and Game,
333 Raspb erry Road, Ancho rage, AK. 99502
Warre n Ballar d, Alask a Depar tment of Fish and Game,
P.O. Box 47, Glenn allen, AK. 99588
Forty- seven brown bears (Vrsus arctos ) were
Abstr act:
captur ed and transp lanted in Alask a in 1979. Post- releas e
data from radio telem etry or hunte r kills are adequ ate to
evalu ate the surviv al and homing movem ents for 20 adults and
9 young . Twelv e adults are known to have return ed to their
captu re sites in an averag e of 58 days ( 13 to 113 days};
these were transp lanted an averag e distan ce of 198 km
averag e
an
transp lanted
adults ,
Eight
( 145-25 5 km).
as
ified
class
were
( 168-26 8 km),
233 km
of
distan ce
their
with
Two yearli ngs succe ssfull y homed
non-ho ming.
ng surviv ed with a non-ho ming mothe r, and 2
yearli
l
mothe r,
cubs and 4 yearli ngs were lost or died. Neith er sex nor
reprod uctive status was corre lated with observ ed incide nce
of return , but age (for males ) and distan ce transp lanted
No
(sexes lumped ) was signif icantl y corre lated (P<.OS ).
would
bears
thresh old distan ce, beyond which transp lanted
Initia l post-r elease
not return , could be determ ined.
movem ents of non-ho ming as well as homing bears sugge st that
most bears were aware of the corre ct homing direct ion.
Althou gh appar ent breed ing behav ior was observ ed, none of
the transp lanted female s are known to have had cubs in the
Trans planta tion of nuisan ce
year after their transp lant.
brown bears was conclu ded to be an unrel iable manag ement
proced ure.
arctos ,
Vrsus
bear,
grizz ly
bear,
brown
Keywo rds:
transp lant, homin g, Alask a.
Wildl ife manag ers are freque ntly reque sted to provid e
non-l ethal resolu tion of confl icts betwe en bears and man.
Often the propo sed soluti on is to move the bear away from
Biolo gists gener ally recog nize this
the area of confl ict.
approa ch is inadeq uate, both becau se the bear, accust omed to
assoc iation with man, freque ntly becom es a proble m elsew here
This
or becau se the bear return s to the site of captu re.
vely
relati
by
gener al recog nition is, howev er, suppo rted
little publis hed data.
As part of a 5-yea r study on the impac ts of preda tion on
moose (Alces alces) popul ations in south centra l Alaska
(Balla rd et al. in prep. ), the Alask a Depar tment of Fish and
Game (ADF&G) artifi cially reduce d brown bear popul ations in
This
a portio n of Alask a's Game Manag ement Unit 13.
reduc tion was accom plishe d by captu ring bears within an
experi menta l area on the headw aters of the Susitn a River and
39
tran spor ting them far enou gh away that bear
pred atio n on
moos e calv es in this area woul d be less ened
for
at leas t 6
week s follo wing moos e part urit ion.
Data were coll ecte d on
rate s and freq uenc y of retu rn of the tran
spla nted brow n
bear s.
Homing in blac k bear s (Urs us amer ican us) has
been revie wed
by Beeman and Pel ton ( 1976 ).
In thei r stud y in the Grea t
Smoky Mou ntain s Nati onal Park , the
test dist ance a
homi ng blac k bear had been tran spla nted grea
was
64 km. Eric kson
(196 4) repo rted the retu rn of a Mich igan blac
k bear moved
152 km, and Al t ( 198 0 ) repo rted a case in
whic
h an adu lt
male blac k bear in Mich igan homed afte r bein
g
tran
spla nted
by air a dist ance of 251 km.
Data on homi ng brow n bear s are less exte nsiv
e. At Wakeman
Soun d, Brit ish Colu mbia , 8 bear s were moved dist
ance s of 32
to 84 km from the capt ure site and all but
one
(a sow and
cub moved 38 km) retu rned (Dra ft Man uscr
ipt,
"Wakeman
Griz zly Relo catio n" prov ided by D. M. Heb ert).
It
was
note d
that the rugg ed terr ain on the Brit ish Colu mbia
coas
t
was
of
litt le dete rren t to retu rnin g bear s.
In
Yell
owst
one
Nati onal Park , 7 of 14 griz zly bear s retu rned
afte r havi ng
been moved dist ance s of betw een 80 and 95 km
in
1971 (Bor der
Griz zly Tech nica l Com mitte e, Work ing Pape
r
#3,
Dra ft #4,
Apr il l, 1977 ). Homing of tran spla nted nuis ance
brow
n bear s
has also been disc usse d by Crai ghea d ( 1976 ),
Crai
ghea
d and
Crai ghea d
(197 2),
Cole
(197 2)
and,
Pear
son
(197
2).
Typ icall y, thes e bear s were tran spla nted dist
ance
s
of
less
than 100 km and high freq uenc ies of homi ng
were obse rved .
Cowan (197 2:36 3) recom mend ed trap ping and tran
spla ntin g as a
mana geme nt proc edur e for "int ract able " bear
s.
He sugg este d
that the tran spla nt loca tion be 11 far remo ved from
of [the bear 's] expe rien ce" and that it was 11 the rang es
part icul arly
impo rtan t that the rele ase plan ackn owle dge
norm
al retu rn
dist ance s. 11
Cowan recom mend ed care ful docu men tatio n and
pub lica tion of tran spla nt reco rds to incr ease
our know ledge
of norm al retu rn dist ance s.
Fina ncia l supp ort for this stud y was prov ided
by the Game
Divi sion , ADF&G. The Bure au of Land Mana
geme
badl y need ed addi tion al supp ort for mon itori ng nt prov ided
tran spla nted
bear s.
We grat eful ly ackn owle dge the assi stan ce of
the follo wing
ADF&G pers onne l:
D. Corn elius , J. Didr icks on, R. Dixo n,
s. Eide , A. Fran zman n, C. Gard iner , E. Good win, L. Glen
n,
D. Hark ness ,
D. McA llist er,
H. Melc hior ,
L.
Mill
er,
c. Schw artz, D. Sell ers, T. Spra ker, K. Tayl or, R. Tobe
y,
and J. Wes tlund .
Much of the succ ess of the oper atio n was
due to the skil ls of our pilo ts: Vern
sted (Ken ai Air
Alas ka) for the heli copt er, and Ken Loft
Bunc
h (Spo rtsm an's
Flyi ng Serv ice) , Al Lee (Lee 's Air Tax i), and
(Sus itna Flyi ng Serv ice) for fixed -win g. We thanRick Half ord
k the
40
owners of the Susitna Lodge, Rick and Connie Halford, for
their cooperation. The Alyeska Pipeline Service Company was
pipeline
the
to
access
permitting
in
cooperative
Karl Schneider and Don McKnight reviewed an
right-of-way.
earlier draft of this manuscript and offered helpful
comments.
Materials and Methods
Bears were captured in May and June 1979. They were spotted
from fixed-wing aircraft, immobilized by a dart (Palmer
Chemical and Equipment Co., Douglasville, GA) fired from a
helicopter (Bell 206B), slung by helicopter to a nearby base
measured, had
of operations where they were weighed,
and blood), and had
specimens collected (teeth, hair,
Radio collars (Telonics, Mesa,
identifying marks applied.
AZ} were applied only on adult bears. Ear flags, ear tags
Reproductive
and lip tattoos were applied to all bears.
determined by examination of
was
females
of
status
Immobilized bears were
coloration and size of the vulva.
loaded in the bed of an open pickup truck and driven either
directly to their release sites or to an airport where they
were loaded into a Cessna 206 and flown to remote airstrips
for release.
Initial immobilization for all but 9 bears was obtained with
BioCeutic
(Sernylan,
hydrochloride
Phencyclidine
of
mg./lb.
1
Laboratories, St. Joseph, MO) at doses of
also used for
Sernylan was
estimated body weight.
immobilization maintenance doses (0.5-1.0 mg/lb.) during
Bears not treated with
transport for all but 6 bears.
Sernylan were given a mixture of Ketamine hydrochloride
(Vetalar, Parke-Davis and Co.) and Xylazine (Rompun, Bayer)
(Hebert and McFetridge, 1979) at doses of 5 mg/lb. of
immobilization and
initial
for
estimated body weight
Newborn
2.5-5.0 mg./lb. for immobilization maintenance.
cubs were captured by hand and transported in a cage without
drugs, two yearlings were also transported in a cage without
were
mixtures
hydrochloride/xylazine
Ketamine
drugs.
discontinued for immobilization maintenance because the
mixture's effects proved to be unpredictable and, therefore,
unsafe for the bears' handlers.
Biologists remained with bears transported by truck to their
release sites until these bears recovered from the drug and
For 24 bears, mobility was regained in
regained mobility.
an average of 14.4 hours (6.4-26.2 hours) from the time of
initial immobilization. Recovery was not observed for bears
transported by aircraft to their release sites, but all
sites were subsequently checked to verify that the bears had
No more than 2 adult bears were
recovered and left.
released simultaneously at the same place.
41
Twel ve effo rts were made to reloc ate trans plan
ted bear s in
1979 (1 in May, 4 in June , 3 in July , 2 in Augu
st, 1 in
Septe mber and 1 in Octo ber).
In addi tion to these fligh ts,
nume rous reloc ation s were obta ined incid enta
l to othe r
stud ies
ongo ing
in
the
regio n
in
1979
and
1980 .
Radi o-co llare d anim als were ul tim~tely distr ibut
ed
over
an
area of appr oxim ately 31,00 0 km ; this large
area
made
regu lar reloc ation s of all anim als impo ssibl e.
bear s were plot ted on U.S. Geol ogica l Surv ey mapsLoca tions of
at a scale
of 1:25 0,00 0.
From these maps , the dista nce trans plan ted
was meas ured in a strai ght line from poin t of
capt ure to
poin t
of
relea se
with out
rega rd
to
topo grap hic
or
hydr ogra phic featu res.
The same proc edur e was follo wed in
meas uring dista nces betw een reloc ation s.
-
Rate s of move ment were calc ulate d by divid ing
betw een cons ecuti ve sigh tings by the numb er of the dista nce
days betw een
sigh tings .
Thes e
resu lts
are obvi ously repre sent an
unde resti mate of actu al move ment rate s.
-
The crite ria utili zed in maki ng a deter mina tion
on when a
part icula r bear had retur ned was subj ectiv e in
some case s.
Prev ious stud ies in this area (Bal lard et al.
indic ated an avera ge home range size of 572 i~ prep .)
using
minim um home range polyg ons (Moh r 194 7). A homekm
range
of
this area , if circu lar, woul d have an 11 avera ge
home
range
diam eter" (AHRD) of 27 km. All bear s clas sifie d
as retur ned
were with in 1.2 AHRD from thei r capt ure sites exce
244 and 273 were , resp ectiv ely, 3.8 and 2.3 AHRD pt for 2:
captu re sites when clas sifie d as havin g retur from thei r
basi s of more rando m move ments than prev ious ly ned on the
We
felt that what ever clue s these bear s had utili show n.
zed
to
get
this close to thei r captu re site woul d have perm
itted them
to finis h the journ ey if they had any desi re
to
do so.
A
third bear ( 209) was 4. 4 11 AHRD" from its captu
re
site
when
last spot ted, and was not clas sifie d as havin
g retur ned.
The stat istic al test utili zed was the stud ent's
diffe renc e betw een mean s and indic ated valu es t test for
of (P) are
2-ta iled prob abili ty leve ls.
The Stud y Area
Bear s were captu red in the head wate rs of the Susi
tna Rive r
in sout hcen tral Alas ka.
The area is bord ered on the north
by the Alas ka Rang e and on the east by the
Clea rwat er
Mou ntain s.
Altho ugh brow n bear s are abun dant in this area ,
bear dens ity here is cons idere d roug hly equi vale
nt to the
area s of sout hcen tral Alas ka wher e captu red
bear
s were
relea sed.
(Ste rling Eide , ADF&G, pers . comm .).
Bear s were trans plan ted to the east to seve ral plac
vici nity of Ment asta Pass wher e the Glen n Highw es in the
ay cros ses
the Ment asta Moun tains , into the Wran gell Moun
tains and
42
along the
Mountains,
River.
Copper River in the foothills of the Chugach
and to the southwest along the lower Susi tna
Results
2
Forty-eight brown bears were captured in a 3,436 km
All were successfully transplanted
area.
experimental
except for 1 male that accidentally drowned during capture
and a female that died within a day after an apparently
One male (237)
successful recovery at the release site.
quickly returned to the study area and was retransplanted,
bringing the total number of successful releases to 47.
Some homing data are available 34 of these releases;
relocations of radio-collared adults in 20 cases, from young
accompanying radio-collared females in 11 cases, and from
hunter kills of marked but not radio-collared bears in 3
In 1979 and 1980, a total of 127 relocations were
cases.
obtained for the transplanted bears (excluding cubs and
yearlings) (Tables land 2).
For 13 of the transplanted bears, including 3 yearlings, no
homing data are available. These animals were too small for
the non-expanding types of radio collars utilized and they
have not yet appeared in the hunter harvest.
In 12 cases transplanted adults are known to have returned
The
to the study area, 5 males and 7 females (Table 1) .
km
211
of
average
an
returning males were transplanted
(13-39
days
24
of
average
an
in
(145-255 km) and returned
days) (Tables 1 and 3). Returning females were transplanted
an average of 189 km ( 145-211 km) and were identified as
having returned in an average of 72 days (33-113 days)
(Tables l and 2). There is no significant difference in the
transplant distance between returning males and returning
females (t=l.7, 10 d.f., P>.lO).
Because of the delays in verification of the date of return,
these bears actually returned more quickly than the above
The number of days from the previous
data indicate.
sightings prior to return until the bear was verified as
having returned averaged 33 days (Table 3). Two uncollared
bears which were shot by hunters in the fall of the year
following their transplant are not included in these
calculations.
In 8 cases (excluding offspring), bears are thought, or
These bears were
known, not to have returned (Table 3).
transplanted an average of 233 km ( 168-268 km) and remained
an average of 180 km (105-303 km) from their original
capture site when last observed.
43
Table l.
Movement data for bears known to have returned.
Direct Distance
Direct
Distance From
Sex/
Transplanted From
Distance
Capture Site When
(Reproductive
Capture Site
Returned
Classified Returned
Bear If
(km)
Status)/Age
(km)
(km)
AHRD*
AHRD*
2371
M/10.5
2372
Dates Monitore
145
5.4
145
18
0.7
1
4
-
6/3/79-6/23/79
215
8.0
215
33
1.2
0
5
-
6/23/79-10/7/7
M/9.5
209
7.7
209
l3
0.5
2
3
-
6/6/79-7/27/79
218-A-k
Ml5.5
230
8.5
215
23
0.9
0
1
-
5126/79-916180
268i•*
Ml4.5
255
9.4
258
14
0.6
0
l
-
615/79-5/10180
7.5
211
7.8
208
20
0.7
=
Avg.
213
Fl(w/[email protected])/11.5
173
6.4
173
14
0.5
7
2
0
5/22/79-10/19/
236
F/(Turgid)l5.5
145
5.4
145
6
0.2
5
7
-
5/23/79-4/25/8
240
FI ( wI 2@ l. 5) I 5 . 5
207
7.7
208
-
-
3
3
?
5/23/79-8/4/80
251
F/([email protected])/l0.5
211
7.8
211
13
0.5
3
14
0
5/30/79-8/14/8
269
FI ( wl2@1. 5116.5
199
7.4
199
12
0.4
3
4
2
616/79-9/29/8(
244
F/(w/[email protected])16.5
201
7.4
106
103
3.8
3
4
0
5/25/79-8/4/8(
273
F/((Turgid))/3.5
188
7.0
135
61
2.6
3
3
-
6/7 /79-8/22/SC
8.5
189
7.0
168
35
1.3
8.2
198
7.3
173
28
1.0
~
Avg.
d'
and
*,,,..
..r_t.,.
::....
No. Of
Young
Returned
272
d'
::....
No. Of
Relocations
PrePostReturn Return
=
~
Avg.
=
"Average Home Range Diameter'' = 27 km .
No radio collar, bear shot by hunter.
(incl udes indiv idual s known not to have
Movement data for bear not known to have retur ned
n).
retur ned, and those which proba bly did not retur
Direc t Dista nce
From Captu re Site
Dire ct Dista nce
Sex/
To Last Loca tion
No. Of Loca tions
Tran splan ted
(Rep roduc tive
AHRD~~-1--k*
(km)
After Relea se
AHRD·k;''** Dates Unde r Obse rvatio n
(km)
Bear if St!ltu s)/Ag e ·
6.9
185
5
5/31/ 79-9/ 12/79
9.9
268
M/5.5
211
11.2
303
6
6/4/7 9-5/1 0/80 (shot )
9.9
268
M/4.5
265
8.1
218
l
)
(shot
23/79
5/25/ 79-9/
7.8
211
M/4.5 (no radio )
246
3.9
105
2
6/1/7 9-5/2 4/80 (shot )
9.5
256
M/10 .5
230*
Table
cf
~.
Avg ·
209**
215
248
261~~.
6.2
F(tur gid)/ 5.5
F(an estru s)/3. 5
F(tur gid)/ 4.5
F(w/2 @1.5 )/7.5
251
9.3
260
168
249
184
9.6
6.2
9.2
6.8
6/4/7 9-8/1 5/80
5/24/ 79-8/ 15/80
5/26/ 79-9/ 30/79
6/1/7 9-6/6 /80
3.5
202
7.5
8
8
6
4
118
210
4.4
4.2
7.0
7.8
113
190
5.3
215
8.0
6.5
158
5.9
\? Avg.
Both
Sex Avg.
5.8
233
8.6
5.0
180
6.7
178
240
286
6.6
4
166
1
201
305
6.2
7.4
11.3
INSUFFICIENT DATA
216
247
258
*
:;:....
**
(1'1
'~~
*'f,·;'rl:
M/11.5
M/8.5
M/21 .5
8.9
10.7
5/22/ 79-6/ 15/79
5/26/ 79-5/ 31/79
5/30/ 79-7/ 27/79
1
km
colla r was shed by 6/15/ 79 at a dista nce of 249
Bear 230 may have been retur ning when shot, its
1980.
r to home when it was shot in
(159 mi.) from its captu re site. It was much close
it was 198 km from its 1979 captu re site,
1980
Bear 209 appea red to be retur ning in 1980. In May
site.
77 days later it was only 118 km from its captu re
final 1979 sight ing on 9/30/ 79.
One yearl ing lost by 6/8/7 9, other survi ved until
"Ave rage Home Range Diam eter" = 27 km.
Table
a.
Number of days and distance moved between last sighting prior to return
and date verified back.
Bear f1
Number Days
From Release
Until Known
To Be Back
Number Days
From Last Sighting
Prior To Return And
Date Verified Back
Direct Distance Moved From
Last Sighting Prior To Return
And Place Where Verified Back
(km)
MALES
2371
19
15
136
2372
13
11
180
272
39
31
195
24
17
170
213
74
ll
63
236
43
21
91
240
92
84
195
251
33
16
62
269
69
55
188
244
82
44
55
273
113
43
30
72
39
98
58
33
85
Male average
FEMALES
Female average
All bear average
45
was
transplanted
were
bears
returning
distance
The
when
bears
significantly different (P<.05) than nonreturning
both sexes were lumped together. Treating sexes separately
versus
homing
for
differences
significant
no
yields
non-homing males (P>.lO) or females (P>.20).
The average age for all nonreturning bears was 5. 8 years
compared to 8.1 years for all returning bears (Tables 1 and
3), but this difference was not significant (P>.lO).
Returning bears averaged older than nonreturning bears for
each sex (Tables 1 and 3), but the differences were not
significant for either sex {P>.lO).
The age data are more revealing if hunter-killed bears are
Information on homing obtained
excluded (Tables 1 and 3).
from bears killed by hunters may be biased by hunter
On this basis, 2 males returned (average age
selectivity.
and 3 males did not return (average age
10.0 years)
4.8 years), a significant difference in age (P<.005). Seven
radio-collared females returned (average age of 8. 5) and 3
a nonsignificant difference
did not (average age 4.5),
With sexes lumped the age difference between
(P>.lO).
returning and nonreturning bears was significant (P<. 05).
Two of the nonreturning females were in estrus when
captured, one had a single yearling and one was nonparous.
Females in estrus, and with cubs, therefore, were present in
both the returning and nonreturning bears (Tables 1 and 3).
Relocation data for 3 of the radio-collared bears are
inadequate to determine whether they returned or not
Male 258 initially moved 38 km in a non-homing
(Table 3).
Male 24 7 initially moved
direction and shed his collar.
46 km in an approximate homing direction, but his signal was
also
Male 216
release.
following
lost within 6 days
initially moved in a homing direction, but his signal was
Therefore, of the
lost within 24 days following release.
3 bears with insufficient data, 2 were last located closer
to their capture site than their point of release (Table 3).
The minimum distance moved while returning was calculated by
summing the direct distances moved between sightings. For
10 radio-collared bears known to have returned, the sum of
the distances between sightings until return averaged 107 %
of the direct distance back ( 61-130%). This suggests that
returning bears moved back with a minimum of nondirected
movements.
Female 244 had covered only 61% of the direct distance back
when she was classified as having returned, 103 km from her
capture site. We suspect she was captured on the northern
limit of her range and was on the southern limit when she
Beyond any question she
was classified as having returned.
was back the following year when she was seen only 10 km
from her capture site.
47
The rates of movement while homing and subsequent to return
were calculated by dividing the direct distance moved
between sightings by the number of days between sightings.
Prior to return, homing bears moved an average of 3.6 km/day
compared to 0. 6 km/day subsequent to return (Table 4) a
significant
difference
(t=3.2,
16 d. f.,. P< .01).
This
differential was greater
for males
than for females
(Table 4).
For each returned bear the rate of movement was
greater prior to return than subsequent to return (Table 4).
The data on movement rates do not accurately reflect actual
movement rates because of varying, and long, sighting
intervals.
Previous,
more
intensive,
studies
of
21
undisturbed brown bears in the experimental area indicated
daily movement rates averaging 7. 7 km/day ( 0-43.2 km/day)
(Ballard, et al.
in
prep.).
Although
this
is
not
significantly different (P>. 20) from the movement rates of
homing bears prior to return in this study ( 3. 6 km/day,
Table 4), the difference is in the opposite direction from
what would be expected.
This is probably because of biases
introduced by sighting intervals of different lengths. One
bear (213) included in both studies illustrates this point.
In earlier studies this bear was observed 23 times in 24
days and had an average movement rate of 3.7 km/day
( 0-16.8 km/day) (Ballard, et al. in prep.).
The following
year she was observed 7 times in a period of 74 days from
the time of release until her return was verified (Tables 1
and 2) and had an average movement rate in this period of
2.8 km/day (Table 4).
The rate of movement for bears known not to have returned
averaged
1.4 km/day
(Table 4).
This
is
significantly
different from the rate for homing bears prior to return
(t=2.4, 15 d.f., P<.lO), and held for each sex (for males
t=2. 8, 4 d. f. , P<. 05; for females t=2. 05, 9 d. f. , P< .10) .
Non-homing bears had significantly different (more rapid)
movement rates than did homing bears subsequent to return
(t=2.4, 14 d.f., P<.05).
This differential was significant
for females (t=2 .17, 9 d. f., P< .10), but not for males
(t=0.8, 4 d.f., P>.4).
The direction of movement was defined as "homing" if the
direction taken from the previous sightings was within
35 degrees of the direction required to return to the
capture site. Homing bears moved in a homing direction for
87% of the distance between sightings and for 89% of the
days between sightings (Table 5). Nonreturning bears moved
in a homing direction for only 39% of the distances between
sightings and for only 27% of the days between sightings
(Table 5).
The rates of movement in homing and non-homing directions
were roughly equivalent for homing bears ( t=l. 0, 16 d. f. ,
P>. 2) as well as non-homing bears ( t=2. 0, 12 d. f. , P>. 05)
(Table 5).
I~
8
Table 4.
Total documented distances moved between sightings and movement rates of radiocollared brown bears. Does not include locations subsequent to den emergence in
1980.
No. Days In Intervals
PostPrior To
Return
Return
Bear fl
RETURNING BEARS
MALES
2371
2372
272
39
13
66
19
162
180
232
18
75
15
23
33
191
36
74
43
92
33
69
82
113
43
105
no data
106
65
22
ll
209
182
239
241
259
122
175
6
63
no data
36
23
22
12
19
11
(returning males):
X
FEMALES
213
236
240•'•
251
269
244
273
X
X
Distance Moved In
Intervals (km)
PostPrior To
Return
Return
Movement Rate (km/da~)
PostPrior To
Return
Return
8.5
16.4
5.9
8. 3'\-k
2.8
4.2
2.6
7.3
3.8
1.5
1.6
1.4
1.1
0.8
l.l"i'(i'(
0.1
0.6
no data
0.3
0.4
1.0
1.1
(returning females):
69
59
198
27
2. g;'ri(
o. s·-k~~
(returning bears
of both sexes):
54
50
196
30
3.6**
0.6"/..-k
NON-RETURNING BEARS
MALES
211
265
216 ~-}\~'\·"};
x (non-return ing
209
215
248
261
males):
FEMALES
---
x (non-return ing
females):
x (non-return ing bears
of both sexes):
*
**
*m~
103
43
23
226
47
28
2.2
1.1
1.0
56
100
1.81,-k
111
153
96
110
165
199
147
66
1.9
1.3
1.3
0.6
118
144
1. 2i'r·k
91
125
l. 41''k
Bear 240 not included in calculation of averages.
Calculated by dividing summation of distances for all bears by summation of days for
all bears.
Bear 216 included with non-returni ng bears in this table although contact was lost
with this bear after 23 days (4 relocations ) of release.
49
Table 5.
Distances moved and frequency of movements in homing and non-homing directions by
transElanted brown bears (1979 data onlx).
In Homing Direction
In Non-Homing Direction
No.
No. Distance
Rate
No.
No. Distance
Rate
Bear II
Observations
(km)
Daxs
Observations
(km/dax)
(km)
Daxs
(km/dal)
RETURNING BEARS
MALES
1
15
136
2371
9.1
1
4
26
6.5
l
11
180
2372
16.4
0
0
0
272
1
31
195
6.3
2
8
4.6
37
x (returning
males):
19
170
9. o~··
1
4.0
21
66
36
91
32
62
58
112
175
143
216
210
2
2
1
1
8
7
1
2
95
175
2.7
4.0
2.4
6.6
3.6
1.6
1.6
2
1
7
25
1
34
39
23
31
35
27
0
65.3
176.9
2. ]0.::
1.6
7.3
27.0
3. 7;'r:
51.4
174.9
3 .4;':
1.4
6.3
25.2
4. 0;':
79
35
9
2.1
1.4
1.1
3
2
65
18
7
147
12
6
2.3
0.7
0.9
41.0
1.7
2.3
30
55
1.8*
52
32
12
6
75
95
33
9
1.4
3.0
2.8
1.5
3
4
5
2
59
121
84
104
90
104
114
57
1.5
0.9
1.4
0.6
25.5
53.0
2 .1"'
3.5
92
91.3
1.0·k
x (non-returning bears of
both sexes): 2.0
24.7
47.9
l. 9;'r:
3.0
65.4
1.0
5. 3;';
FEMALES
213
236
240
251
269
244
273
6
4
3
3
2
2
3
x (returning
females):
3.3
x (returning bears of
both sexes): 2.6
NON-RETURNING
MALES
211
265
216
224
2
4.3
5.6
23.0
15.5
5.0
1.1
0.0
BEARS
2
3
1
x (non-returning
males): 2.0
38
25
8
23.7
2
FEMALES
209
215'
248
261
3
3
1
1
x (non-returning
females): 2.0
75.7
1. 2;;
-
x (all bears):2.8
··k
40.4
122.6
3. O"i>
2.1
30.7
46.0
1.5*
L distance/l days
50
-
Initia l post release moveme nts were
for 5 of the 10 radio- collare d bears
5 of the 7 radio- collare d bears
sugges ts that many of the bears not
home was, but chose not to return .
in a homing directi on
which returne d and for
This
which did not.
returni ng "knew" where
It is probab le that some of the bears classi fied as
nonret urning in Table 3, actual ly returne d but have not been
At last contac t with
discov ered becaus e of radio failure s.
these bears, all but 4 (265, 246, 261 and 258) were closer
to their capture sites when last seen than they were at the
point of their release ; on the averag e, these 7 bears were
32% ( 7-59%) closer to their captur es sites when last seen
The
than they were at the . point of release (Table 3).
when
sites
e
4 bears which were farthe r from their captur
last seen than when release d, average d 9% farthe r (3-14%)
(Table 3).
Two of the bears classi fied as nonret urning (209 and 230)
may have been returni ng in 1980 rather than in the year of
Female 209 was seen in May 1980, 198 km
their release .
south of her capture site, but was next seen in August 1980
only 118 km southe ast of her captur e site and on a
Relativ e to the transp lant
reason ably direct route back.
distanc e (206 km), in May she was 24% of the way back and in
Male 230 shed his collar 2 weeks
August she was 55% back.
followi ng release at a point 249 km southe ast of his captur e
This bear was shot almost a year later (May 1980)
site.
only 150 km southe ast of his captur e site. Relativ e to the
transp lant distanc e (256 km) bear 230 shed his collar when
he was 3% of the way back but was shot when he was 59% of
the way back.
The routes followe d by some of the transp lanted bears
Five
sugges t influen ces by natura l or man-ma de barrie rs.
to
back
headed
lly
bears (209, 211, 265, 261 and 269) initia
g
crossin
to
prior
their capture sites but reverse d directi on
plain.
flood
d
braide
a
the Copper River, a large river with
Only one of these bears (269) is known to have eventu ally
Bear ( 209) is known to have
returne d to its captur e site.
eventu ally crosse d the Copper River (by Septem ber 1979), but
there is no eviden ce that 211, 265 or 261 ever succes sfully
Five other radio- collare d bears
crossed the Copper River.
release d east of the Copper River (258, 230, 273, 272 and
2372) showed no eviden ce of any hesita tion or deflec tion
prior to crossin g the Copper River, 3 of these bears
returne d direct ly to captur e sites, one quickly shed its
collar ( 258) and the last ( 230) also shed its collar but
appeare d to be returni ng when it was shot in 1980.
The moveme nts of 3 bears appear ed to be influen ced by
Female 213 (with 2 cubs) moved on a direct
highwa ys.
follow ing release until she
homing , headin g northw est,
encoun tered the Glenn Highwa y, 8 days and 21 km north of her
""
51
relea se site.
Nine days follo wing relea se she lost her
cubs .
She rema ined south but with in 1-8 km of the
Highw ay for at leas t 2 more week s unti l she cros Glen n
sed the
highw ay on a dire ct route back .
Some of her dilat ory
beha vior may have been relat ed to the loss of her cubs
, but
she was defle cted for at leas t 1 day and 16 k.m
prio
r to
loosi ng her cubs .
She para llele d the highw ay for at leas t
34 km befo re cros sing . Fema le 244 (with 1 year ling)
head ed
dire ctly back unti l she enco unter ed the Glen n Highw
ay
with
in
13 days follo wing relea se and cross ed the highw ay with
in
21
days follo wing relea se, a less obvio us defle
.
The
year ling with 244 rema ined with her afte r she ction
cross
ed
Glen n Highw ay, but was lost shor tly after ward s. Fema the
(with 2 year lings ) was relea sed betw een the Copp er Rivele 240
r (on
the east ) and the north -sou th Rich ardso n Highw ay
(on
the
west ). Movi ng north in a homi ng dire ction from the
relea
se
poin t these bear s rema ined betw een the highw ay and
the
rive
r
with in 6 km of the town of Copp er Cent er (whe re the
highw
ay
and rive r are adja cent ), then cross ed the highw ay and
moved
in a nonh omin g dire ction (sou thea st) for at leas
t
23
km.
This bear even tuall y cross ed the Glen n Highw ay and
retur
ned
to her captu re site .
It woul d be a mista ke to conc lude from these insta
nces of
appa rent defle ction s of homi ng bear s by the Copp
er
Rive r
that rive rs, highw ays or bodi es of wate r serve as
barr
iers
to homi ng. Juliu s Reyn olds (ADF&G) captu red a 3.8-y
ear-o
ld
male brow n bear near Cord ova on 17 Septe mber
1973
and
trans plan ted it by boat to Mont ague Islan d in Princ e
Willi am
Soun d, a dire ct dista nce of 93 km.
This bear was kille d
28 days late r with in 100 m of its capt ure site
(ADF&G
files ).
A dire ct route back woul d have requ ired swim
ming
11.3 km to Hinc hinbr ook Islan d and addi tiona l swim
s
of
1
km
and 2.8 km to Hawk ins Islan d and the main land, resp
ectiv
ely.
The only alter nativ e route off Mont ague Islan d woul
requ ired init ial move ments in a non-h omin g dire ction d have
of 8.5 km to LaTo uche Islan d, four addi tiona l swim s , a swim
2 km to the main land, and a comp lete circ le aroun d of abou t
Princ e Willi am Soun d, cros sing nume rous glac iers and west ern
to retur n to Cord ova; this route woul d have requ ired fiord s,
a minimum of 290 km acro ss exce ption ally rough terra movi ng
the init ial third of this dista nce woul d have beenin and
in a
non-h omin g dire ction . Ther efore , this bear must have
swam
a
minimum of 8.5 km, most prob ably 11.3 km, at righ t
angle
s
to
the tides and in the frigi d wate rs of Princ e Willi
am Soun d
in orde r to retur n.
Of the 9 youn g trans plan ted with radio -coll ared fema
3 were stil l with thei r moth ers when last sigh ted les only
Four retur ning fema les lost 5 of 7 youn g in 1979 .
whil e 1
nonr eturn ing fema le lost 1 of 2 youn g.
One
addi
fema le (240) was not obse rved afte r her retur n tiona l
capt ure site in 1979 so the statu s of her 2 year lingsto the
could
not be veri fied ; the year lings are known to have
surv ived
52
for at least 9 days follow ing
were 8% close r to their captu re
Only 1 female
releas e point .
she lost both
and
ed
was captur
.
return
prior to her
releas e at which time they
site than they were at the
( 203) with cubs- of-the -year
( 10-17 days after releas e)
The 4 yearli ngs lost averag ed 46 kg in
the large st (63 kg) and the small est (21
three surviv ing yearli ngs (with 269 and
(41-45 kg). The surviv ing yearli ng cubs
2 female s, the lost yearli ngs includ ed 3
Both lost cubs- of-the -year were males .
weigh t and includ ed
kg) yearli ngs. The
261) averag ed 43 kg
includ ed 1 male and
males and 1 female .
Surviv al times of the lost offspr ing varied from a minimu m
Intere stingl y, the
of 0 to a maximum of 36 days (Table 6).
is known to have
244}
small est yearli ng captur ed (with sow
ngs (Table 6).
yearli
surviv ed longe r than the other lost
seen 7 days
was
ng
yearli
Female 261 with her 1 surviv ing
with a
point
e
releas
after releas e and 9 km from the
may
which
l
anima
dead
ble,
partia lly buried , and unide ntifia
cub
that
st
sugge
data
These
have been her missin g yearli ng.
.
drugs
or
on
ortati
transp
re,
losses were not relate d to captu
was
(254)
ry
recove
ing
follow
died
which
female
The
excep tional ly aggre ssive when she recove red from the drug,
chasin g the pickup truck in which she had been transp orted,
attack ing the Trans -Alask a oil pipeli ne, and abusin g both
her yearli ngs. This abuse did not, howev er, resul t in the
death or evide nt seriou s injury of eithe r yearli ng.
It is unknow n wheth er the lost young died, but it is
Cases where lone cubs have surviv ed have been
proba ble.
Howev er, it is a
report ed (Johns on and LeRoux 1973) .
ing releas ed into
offspr
lost
reason able specu lation that the
rs, would have
mothe
their
to
terrai n which was unfam iliar
reside nt boars
by
tion
been partic ularly vulne rable to preda
an evide nt
with
ing
offspr
The only
and many proba bly died.
which
240)
female
(with
ng
preex isting injury was a yearli
ning.
remai
claws
no
with
paw
had an injure d right front
ed
surviv
have
to
known
are
ngs
Howev er, both of 240's yearli
er
wheth
e;
releas
ing
follow
km
for at least 9 days and 44
not
was
site
re
captu
her
to
ed
they surviv ed until 240 return
verifi ed.
Seven of the ll transp lanted and radio -colla red adult
female s were observ ed in 1980, but none of them were
accom panied by offspr ing in 1980. Two of these 6 (273 and
209) were in estrus when captu red but were not subse quent ly
observ ed with anoth er bear; there is no eviden ce, theref ore,
Female 244, which had a yearli ng in 1979
that they bred.
that she lost by 2 July 1979, was observ ed with an adult
bear on 15 Septem ber 1979, but had no offspr ing when seen in
Female 251 had 2 yearli ngs that she lost by
July 1980.
19 June 1979, was not seen subse quent ly in 1979, and had no
offspr ing when spotte d on 18 July 1980. Femal e 215 was not
53
Table 6.
Mother
Offspring
weights (mg)
0.5, 0.5
5' 5
251*
1.5, 1.5
61, 63
244•'•
1.5
21
261*'"
1. 5-h-"**
41 or 40***
~~
*~~
U1
Offspring ages
213•'•
*
"""
History of offspring which were lost subsequent to release.
Days from
release until
last seen
Days from
release until
first missed
Direct distance
moved from release
until last seem
Direct distance
moved from release
until first missed
(km)
(km)
10
17
37
55
8
19
90
179
20
36
51
67
0
7
0
Bear eventually returned.
Bear did not return.
Sibling (41 or 40 kg) survived at least until October 1979.
9
t bear on
turg id when trans plan ted, was seen with an adul
on
ted
spot
when
ring
offsp
no
had
and
3 July 1979 ,
of
both
with
d
home
lly
essfu
Bear 269 succ
15 Augu st 1980 .
in
her
with
g
youn
no
had
her year lings in 1979 and
ted fema les
Septe mber 1980 . The prod uctiv ity of 5 trans plan
in 1980 ;
hted
resig
not
were
they
coul d not be veri fied as
capt ured but
two of these (236 and 248) were in estru s when The othe r 3
only 236 was late r seen with anot her bear .
had cubs or
radio -coll ared fema les not resig hted in 1980 sigh ted with
year lings when captu red and none of these was
anot her adul t bear subs eque nt to relea se.
presu mabl y
Thre e trans plan ted male s were seen with smal ler, seen with
fema le, bear s subs eque nt to relea se. Male 237 was bree ding
was
2 diffe rent fema les betw een 10 and 23 June , he
Male 265
May.
22
on
ured
capt
ally
initi
with fema le 236 when
216 was seen
was seen with anot her adul t on 8 June and male
with anot her adul t from 31 May to 8 June .
spor t had
The drug s utili zed for imm obili zatio n durin g tran
ng bear s
Homi
no appa rent affe ct on prob abili ty of retur n.
with
d
taine
and main
immo biliz ed
indiv idua ls
inclu ded
ylan
Sern
with
Ketam ine/R ompu n mixt ures ( 213) , immo biliz ed
ed
biliz
immo
,
but main tain with Ketam ine/R ompu n (236 and 237)
and
),
(251
with Ketam ine/R ompu n and main taine d with Sern ylan(2372 , 272,
both immo biliz ed and main taine d with Sern ylan
n mixt ure
218, 268, 240, 269, 244, 273) . The Ketam ine/R ompu
6 bear s
only
for imm obili zatio n main tenan ce was used on
reco ver
d
woul
beca use it was disco vere d that they often
on,
inati
comb
unex pecte dly fast from the effe cts of this drug
lers.
there by crea ting serio us haza rds for the hand
of homi ng
Ther e was no appa rent diffe renc e in incid ence se site and
relea
betw een bear s trans port ed by truck to thei r
to thei r
those trans port ed by truck to an airp ort and flownport ed by
trans
7
Retu rning bear s inclu ded
relea se site .
dista nce of 187 km ( 145-2 30 km) and 5
ge
avera
truck an
of 213 km
trans port ed by truck and plan e an avera ge dista nce inclu ded 4
ned
Bear s not know n to have retur
(188- 255 km).
of 229 km
dista nce
avera ge
an
truck
by
trans porte d
raft an
airc
and
( 168-2 68 km) and 4 trans port ed by truck
avera ge dista nce of 242 km (184- 268 km).
Disc ussio n
expe rime ntal
Aver age home rang e diam eters for bear s in the
bear s were
ng
Homi
area were know n from prev ious work .
home range
ge
avera
trans plan ted an avera ge of 7.3 (5.4- 9.4)
it is
ugh
Altho
from thei r poin t of capt ure.
diam eters
with
area
an
in
poss ible that a few bear s were relea sed with
is
it
nces
dista
whic h they had prev ious expe rienc e, at these
with
ted
quain
unac
prob able that most bear s were comp letel y
The dire ction of move ment follo wing
thei r relea se sites .
s, sugg ests
relea se, for both retur ning and nonr eturn ing bear
5s
that most trans plant ed bears knew the corre ct
homin g
direc tion and that succe ssful homin g was not depen dent
rando m movem ents until fami liar terra in was encou ntere on
d.
There fore, it is likel y that previ ous know ledge of
the
relea se locat ion is not neces sary for a bear to succe ssful
home; other clues to the corre ct homin g direc tion must ly
be
perce ived and utiliz ed.
Lentf er (1972 , 1973) has sugge sted
that polar bears inhab iting drift ing pack ice seem
able to navig ate, witho ut phys ical refer ence point to be
order to main tain their posit ion or to find seasos, in
reocc urrin g areas of food abund ance. Homin g brown bearsnally
be able to navig ate in simil ar fashi on. The clues utilizmay
in makin g these direc ted movem ents remai n an inter estined
g,
and diffi cult, topic for futur e study .
Altho ugh homin g bears were moved signi fican tly farth er
non-h oming bears , no thres hold dista nce, beyon d which than
could or would not home, was demo nstrat ed in this studybears
sugge st that wheth er a trans plant ed bear retur ns or. We
appea rs more relat ed to an indiv idual bear 's motiv ation not
to
retur n, than to its abili ty to do so.
This motiv ation , in
turn, is affec ted most by the bear 's age and secon d by
its
sex, with older bears and males being more likel y to retur
n.
Doub tless a very impo rtant facto r in this motiv ation
is
the
accep tabil ity
of
the habit at into which a
is
trans plant ed. A bear accus tomed to feedi ng in garbabear
ge dumps
may find exce llent natur al habit ats inade quate , howev
even wild bears with no histo ry of using garba ge dumps er,
be highl y motiv ated to retur n as shown in this study can
. We
concl ude that trans plant ing probl em bears ,
even long
dista nces, is a solut ion with a high prob abili ty of failu
re.
LITERATURE CITED
Al t, G. L.
1980.
Reloc ating Nuisa nce Bears .
News, 51:20 -22.
Penn. Game
Balla rd, W. B., S. D. Mille r, and T. H. Sprak er.
In prep.
Home range daily movem ents,
breed ing and denni ng
activ ity
of
Brown
Bear
in
South centr al
Alask a.
Subm itted to Can. Field -Nat urali st.
Beema n, L. E., and M. R. Pelto n.
1976.
Homin g of black
bears in the Great Smoky Moun tains Natio nal Park. In
Bears --The ir Biolo gy and Manag ement ,
(M. R. Pelto ll;
J. W. Lentf er, and G. E. Folk, eds. ) . IUCN New
Ser.
40:87 -95.
Cole, G. F.
1972.
Prese rvati on and manag ement of grizz ly
bears in Yello wston e Natio nal Park.
In Bears -Thei r
Biolo gy and Manag ement ( S. Herre ro, ed-:-).
IUCN New
Serie s 23:27 4-288 .
56
of bea rs
197 2; · The 'Sta tus and , con ser vat ionr Bio log y
Cowan, I. MeT.
. In Bea rs-T hei
(Ur sida e) of the wor ld-1 970 . ed.
IUCN New Ser ies
).
and Man age men t ( s. Her rero ,
23: 343 -36 7.
Gri zzl y
197 2.
igh ead .
Cra igh ead , J. J.,. and F. C. Cra
low ston e Nat ion al Par k.
bea r-m an rela tion shi ps in YelMan
agem ent (S, Her rero ,
In Bea rs-T hei r Bio log y and
ed. ). IUCN New Ser ies 23: 304 -33 2.
bea r ran ges and mov eme nt as
Cra igh ead , F. C. 197 6. Gri zzl y g.
In Bea rs-T hei r Bio log y
det erm ine d by rad io- trac kin
and
(M. R. Pe lto n,- J. W. Len tfer ,
Man age men t
and
.
40: 97- 109
G. E. Fol k, eds .). IUCN New Ser ies
y of the
196 4. Bre edi ng bio log y and eco logan Sta te
Eri cks on, A. W.
hig
Unp ubl ishe d Ph. D. The sis, Mic
bla ck bea r.
Uni v., Ann Arb or. 3llp p.
Che mic al
197 9.
Fet ridg e.
Heb ert, D. M., and R. J. Mceric
2nd ed.
,
mals
an Game Mam
Imm obi liza tion of Nor th Am
ura l
Nat
and
Ene rgy
Fis h and Wil d. Div ., Alb erta
pp.
Res our ces , Edm onto n, Alb erta . 250
of
Age
197 3.
LeR oux .
P.
and
J.,
L.
Joh nso n,
J.
.
ska
Ala
in
bea rs
sel f-s uff icie ncy in bro wn /gri zzl y
Wil dl. Man age . 37: 122 -12 3.
rela tion shi ps. 197 2. In
Len tfer , J. W. Pol ar bea r-se a iceage men t ( S. Her rero , ed. ~
Bea rs-T hei r Bio log y and Man
IUCN New Ser ies 23: 165 -17 1.
r
Dis cre ten ess of Ala ska n Pol ar Beae
197 3.
Len tfer , J. w.
Gam
of
ss
gre
Con
Int l.
XIt h
In
pop ula tion s.
9.
-32
323
pp
.
olm
Bio log ists , Sto ckh
tion s of Nor th
194 7. Tab le of equ iva len t pop ula37( 1):2 23- 249 .
Moh r, C.O .
.
Nat
Am eric an sma ll mam mal s. Am. Mid l.
the
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197 2.
Pea rson , A. M.
rito
Ter
on
Yuk
the
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57

GAME MANAGEMENT UNIT 13 BROWN BEAR STUDIES

Transcription

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