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Animal Sciences

Utah State University

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Ursus americanus

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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Bear-Caused Human Fatalities In Yellowstone National Park: Characteristics And Trends, Kerry A. Gunther Jan 2022

Bear-Caused Human Fatalities In Yellowstone National Park: Characteristics And Trends, Kerry A. Gunther

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Three fatal bear (Ursus spp.) attacks in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA, from 2011 to 2015 were a catalyst for YNP managers to evaluate the circumstances of bear-caused fatalities as well as the bear safety messages it distributes to park visitors. I reviewed records of all fatal bear attacks that occurred in YNP from 1872 to 2018. Seven of the 8 fatalities were caused by grizzly bears (U. arctos horribilis). The per capita risk of being killed by a grizzly bear was 1 fatality for every 26.2 million park visits. Most fatal bear attacks in YNP involved …


Predicting Black Bear Activity At Backcountry Campsites In Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, Wesley G. Larson, Tom Smith Jan 2019

Predicting Black Bear Activity At Backcountry Campsites In Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, Wesley G. Larson, Tom Smith

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Developing the capacity to predict black bear (Ursus americanus; bear) activity in a diversity of habitats will help conserve bear populations and their habitats and minimize human–bear conflicts. This capacity will be particularly important in areas that provide bear habitat and offer backcountry hiking and camping experiences. Bryce Canyon National Park (BRCA), located on the edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah, USA, provides important bear habitat and offers visitors 12 backcountry campsites. To effectively manage these areas to minimize human–bear conflicts, park managers will need better information about black bear use of these campsites and other …


Portable Electric Fencing For Bear Deterrence And Conservation, Tom S. Smith, Bryan Hopkins, John Gookin, Samantha Thompson Jan 2018

Portable Electric Fencing For Bear Deterrence And Conservation, Tom S. Smith, Bryan Hopkins, John Gookin, Samantha Thompson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Although bear-inflicted (Ursus spp.) human fatalities are rare in North America, human injuries, property damage, and bear mortalities occur wherever bears and humans commingle. We investigated the efficacy of portable electric fencing systems for bear deterrence under a variety of environmental conditions in the lab and field. Our results showed that the bear deterrent systems we evaluated were effective in protecting humans, their food, and property from bears >99% of the time. Herein, we discuss the benefits of using electric fencing, reasons why fences sometimes fail, and provide guidance regarding the most effective implementation of the systems we evaluated. …


Post-Release Activity And Habitat Selection Of Rehabilitated Black Bears, Patrick J. Myers, Julie K. Young Jan 2018

Post-Release Activity And Habitat Selection Of Rehabilitated Black Bears, Patrick J. Myers, Julie K. Young

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Despite the long history of wildlife rehabilitation and the abundance of empirical knowledge of the behavior and resource selection of wildlife species, rarely does research bridge these disciplines. Such investigations could be of value to wildlife managers and rehabilitators by revealing the suitability of the habitat at selected release sites, the wild activities, behavior, and fitness of the captive-reared individuals, and ultimately the efficacy of the rehabilitation process. Rehabilitated carnivores warrant specific attention, given that they are wide-ranging and may behave in ways that threaten human safety or interests. We investigated the behavior of orphan, rehabilitated black bear cubs ( …


Humans As Prey: Coping With Large Carnivore Attacks Using A Predator-Prey Interaction Perspective, Vincenzo Penteriani, Giulia Bombieri, José María Fedriani, José Vicente López-Bao, Pedro José Garrote, Luca Francesco Russo, María Del Mar Delgado Sep 2017

Humans As Prey: Coping With Large Carnivore Attacks Using A Predator-Prey Interaction Perspective, Vincenzo Penteriani, Giulia Bombieri, José María Fedriani, José Vicente López-Bao, Pedro José Garrote, Luca Francesco Russo, María Del Mar Delgado

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The number of attacks on humans by large carnivores in North America is increasing. A better understanding the factors triggering such attacks is critical to mitigating the risk of future encounters in landscape where humans and large carnivore co-exist. Since 1955, of the 632 attacks on humans by large carnivores, 106 (17%) involved predation. We draw on concepts and empirical evidence from the Predator-Prey Interaction Theory to provide insights into how to reduce predatory attacks and, thus, improve human-large carnivore co-existence. Because large carnivore-caused mortality risks for humans are comparable to those shown by other mammal species in response to …


An Analysis Of Human–Black Bear Conflict In Utah, Julie Ann Miller, Tom S. Smith, Janene Auger, Hal Black, Loreen Allphin Jan 2016

An Analysis Of Human–Black Bear Conflict In Utah, Julie Ann Miller, Tom S. Smith, Janene Auger, Hal Black, Loreen Allphin

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Conflict between black bears (Ursus americanus) and humans has occurred in Utah, but the records are largely incomplete. To document these events, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources initiated a black bear sightings and encounters database in 2003, and we updated it. From 2003–2013, there were 224 recorded events, with 10 attacks, 208 property damages, and 6 vehicle collisions. Most events took place at campsites (40%). The most common season for events was summer (78%). Most conflict occurred at night. The number of events has not increased over the last 10 years, with no significant relationship between the …


Commentary Distance-Dependent Effectiveness Of Diversionary Bear Bait Sites, Stephen Stringham, Ann Bryant Jan 2016

Commentary Distance-Dependent Effectiveness Of Diversionary Bear Bait Sites, Stephen Stringham, Ann Bryant

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We (Stringham and Bryant 2015) previously reported on Bryant’s experiment in diversionary baiting of black bears (Ursus americanus). This occurred during the historically severe drought of 2007, in the Lake Tahoe Basin at the border of California and Nevada, USA. Effectiveness of baiting was inversely related to each community’s distance from the bait site. That has provoked the question whether conflict rates during the period of baiting would have fallen anyway even without baiting. We show here that the general trend during both pre and post-baiting years (2005–2006 and 2008–2009) was for an increase in conflicts during the …


Short-Term Fate Of Rehabilitated Orphan Black Bears Released In New Hampshire, Wesley E. Smith, Peter J. Pekins, Andrew A. Timmins, Benjamin Kilham Jan 2016

Short-Term Fate Of Rehabilitated Orphan Black Bears Released In New Hampshire, Wesley E. Smith, Peter J. Pekins, Andrew A. Timmins, Benjamin Kilham

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We evaluated the release of rehabilitated, orphan black bears (Ursus americanus) in northern New Hampshire. Eleven bears (9 males, 2 females; 40–45 kg) were outfitted with GPS radio-collars and released during May and June of 2011 and 2012. Bears released in 2011 had higher apparent survival and were not observed or reported in any nuisance behavior, whereas no bears released in 2012 survived, and all were involved in minor nuisance behavior. Analysis of GPS locations indicated that bears in 2011 had access to and used abundant natural forages or habitat. Conversely, abundance of soft and hard mast was …


Use Of Predator Hair To Enhance Perceived Risk To White-Tailed Deer In A Foraging Context, Thomas W. Seamans, Bradley F. Blackwell, Kimberly E. Linnell Jan 2016

Use Of Predator Hair To Enhance Perceived Risk To White-Tailed Deer In A Foraging Context, Thomas W. Seamans, Bradley F. Blackwell, Kimberly E. Linnell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Deer react to predator scent in varying degrees even when exposed to unknown predators. This response could be genetically based and maintained as long as the population is exposed to predation. We tested whether predator scent in the form of hair would enhance perceived risk and serve as a foraging repellent to free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). During the winters of 2013 and 2014, we quantified alert behaviors and consumption of whole-kernel corn in response to current (coyote [Canis latrans]) and extirpated (bobcat [Lynx rufus]; black bear [Ursus americanus]) predator species alone …


Black Bear Exclusion Fences To Protect Mobile Apiaries, Tammy E. Otto, Gary J. Roloff Jan 2015

Black Bear Exclusion Fences To Protect Mobile Apiaries, Tammy E. Otto, Gary J. Roloff

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Demand for commercial bee (Apis mellifera) services recently has increased, resulting in greater use of mobile apiaries for crop pollination. When commercial apiaries are moved into areas occupied by black bears (Ursus americanus), conflicts between beekeepers and bears sometimes occur. Commercial pollination often involves moving apiaries among agricultural fields, and, thus, permanent fencing is not a viable option for reducing damage by bears. In 2010, we tested the effectiveness of 4 temporary electric fence designs for excluding black bears from bait sites in northern Michigan. We determined the effectiveness of each fence design by observing bear …


Survival And Productivity Of A Low-Density Black Bear Population In Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, Roger A. Baldwin, Louis C. Bender Jan 2009

Survival And Productivity Of A Low-Density Black Bear Population In Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, Roger A. Baldwin, Louis C. Bender

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Historically, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) has supported a small black bear (Ursus americanus) population of low productivity. Increased visitor use of the park and development around its periphery could lead to a reduction in population viability of RMNP’s bear population or could increase the potential for human–bear conflict. Therefore, we investigated contemporary survival and productivity parameters for RMNP’s black bear population from 2003 to 2006 and compared these values to historic levels (1984–1991) and population means throughout the western United States to clarify the current status of RMNP’s bear population. The contemporary black bear population showed signs …


Trans Fatty Acids Provide Evidence Of Anthropogenic Feeding By Black Bears, Gregory W. Thiemann, Randal S. Stahl, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Stewart W. Breck Jan 2008

Trans Fatty Acids Provide Evidence Of Anthropogenic Feeding By Black Bears, Gregory W. Thiemann, Randal S. Stahl, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Stewart W. Breck

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Bears (Ursus spp.) that become conditioned to anthropogenic food sources pose a risk to human safety and generally need to be relocated, rehabilitated, or destroyed. Identifying food-conditioned bears may be difficult if the animal is not captured or killed while immediately engaged in the nuisance behavior. Fatty acid signature analysis has been used to examine the dietary habits of bears and other carnivores and is based on the predictable incorporation of ingested fatty acids into the consumer’s fat stores. Unusual fatty acids that are available in only a few food types may be particularly useful dietary markers. In this …


Carnivores, Urban Landscapes, And Longitudinal Studies: A Case History Of Black Bears, Jon P. Beckmann, Carl W. Lackey Jan 2008

Carnivores, Urban Landscapes, And Longitudinal Studies: A Case History Of Black Bears, Jon P. Beckmann, Carl W. Lackey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

As urban landscapes expand across the globe, it becomes imperative to understand how these landscapes affect large carnivore populations. We examined the effects of humanaltered landscapes on age-specific fecundity and life history parameters for female black bears (Ursus americanus) in urban and wildland regions in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains of Nevada, including the Lake Tahoe Basin. We followed 12 marked female bears in an urban environment and 10 females in wildland habitats from 1997–2006. Our results show that female bears in urban areas have higher age-specific fecundity rates than did wildland female bears. Despite this difference, female …