Black bear management: Annual report - 2008
Schmidt K. 2009. Black bear management: Annual report - 2008. Redwoood National and State Parks. Orick, CA
This report summarizes black bear management activities that occurred within Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) during 2008. The management section summarizes all important bear sightings and incidents, bear related meetings and education efforts, funding, known mortalities, and fiscal year 2009 priorities for black bear management within RNSP. There were 62 sightings of 83 black bears reported on RNSP wildlife observation forms during 2008, not including mortalities. The number of observations in 2008 was closer to the average for the years 2004-2006 (65), versus the much higher number of reported sightings in 2007 (92 sightings of 110 bears). Predictably, the majority of reported observations were in June, July, and August, coincidental with peak visitor season and peak field season for park staff (Fig. 1). Fifty-five percent of the observations were made during June and July and at least one bear was observed in every month of the year. Seventy-four percent of the sightings were of a single bear, 13% involved 2 bears, 8% were of 3 bears, and there was one instance of four bears grazing in a prairie. As in previous years the majority of bear sightings in RNSP were in the southern part of the park, in the Prairie/ Lost Man/ Redwood Creek area, along the West Side Access Road, and in the Bald Hills Prairies. Twelve sightings (19%) were either along trails or the Redwood Creek gravel bar, and one bear with a cub was reported at “Blakes Riffle” on the Klamath River.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Schmidt, Kristin
- Date of Issue
- 2009-01-26
- Publisher
- Redwoood National and State Parks
- Units
- REDW
- Keywords
- Bald Hills prairies, Blakes Riffle, Crescent Beach Education Center, education efforts, Funding, Incidents, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Klamath River, Mortalities, Pacamo Road, peak field season, peak visitor season, priorities, Redwood Creek, Redwood Creek Trailhead, Redwood National and State Parks, Requa, RNSP, RNSP Bear Panel, Sightings, wildlife observation forms