Research Report: Bears and humans: How Canadian park managers are dealing with grizzly bear populations in a northern landscape
Maraj R. 2010. Research Report: Bears and humans: How Canadian park managers are dealing with grizzly bear populations in a northern landscape. Park Science. 27(2):78–87
This study investigated the effects of human land use on grizzly bear (Ursus arctos L.) habitat and populations in the Kluane region of southwestern Yukon, Canada. Previous studies in the region identify grizzlies as the species most at risk from cumulative impacts of human activity. The goals of this project were to identify the effects of cumulative human activities on grizzly habitat and populations, and to provide recommendations on human-use management with respect to the conservation of grizzlies and their habitat. To examine the influence habitat and mortality had on grizzly bear productivity and survival, I compared the explanatory power of empirical habitat models based on grizzly bear telemetry relocations or forage availability against expert-opinion models. Empirical habitat models were best for explaining reproductive and survival rates to predict population status for grizzly bears in Kluane. Survival and productivity of grizzly bears decreased on the periphery of the protected area adjacent to highways. While productivity in the areas adjacent to highways was relatively high, mortality was also high. These areas, therefore, were acting like attractive sinks. Reducing human-caused mortality on the park periphery and developing a transboundary management strategy will be necessary to conserve grizzly bears in Kluane.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Maraj, Ramona
- Units
- NRSS
- Keywords
- cumulative impacts, expert opinion, Grizzly Bear, Kluane, Kluane National Park (Canada), Park, resource selection, Source-sink dynamics, transboundary management