Polar bear predatory behaviour towards moulting barnacle geese and nesting glaucous gulls on Spitzbergen

ABSTRACT. A polar bear (Ursus maritimus) was observed stalking and chasing a flock of adult flightless barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) in a coastal bay in Hornsund, southwest Spitsbergen. Before chasing the geese, the polar bear appeared to make use of the cover provided by a rocky pier in order t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Lech Stempniewicz
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 2006
Subjects:
Traduit pour la revue Arctic par Nicole Giguère
Arctic
Hornsund
Barnacle goose
Branta leucopsis
Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreus
Spitzbergen
Ursus maritimus
Spitsbergen
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.491.7971
http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/arctic59-3-247.pdf
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT. A polar bear (Ursus maritimus) was observed stalking and chasing a flock of adult flightless barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) in a coastal bay in Hornsund, southwest Spitsbergen. Before chasing the geese, the polar bear appeared to make use of the cover provided by a rocky pier in order to swim close to them. Immediately after that unsuccessful attempt, the bear plundered a glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) nest situated on coastal rock and captured three nestlings. These observations are the first documented instances of a polar bear hunting for barnacle goose and glaucous gull and provide additional evidence of the use of terrestrial prey by polar bears during the season of minimal ice extent.

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