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Spatial Ecology Of Black Bears (Ursus Americanus) In Newfoundland, Canada, Nathaniel D. Rayl

Doctoral Dissertations

Although black bears (Ursus americanus) are among the most studied mammals in the world, little is known about their ecology in Newfoundland, Canada. I investigated the spatial ecology of black bears on the island, focusing on unusual movements during the denning period and their role as caribou (Rangifer tarandus) calf predators. I investigated the influence of climatic conditions (rainfall) and anthropogenic disturbance on the rate of den abandonment for black bears in Newfoundland, a population with an unusually high rate of abandonment given its northern latitude. I found no evidence that rainfall or anthropogenic disturbance played …