C. SUPPORTING STATEMENT 1. Taxonomy
21. Distribution: Ursus arctos is the most widespread of bear species, ranging from northern Arctic to dry desert habitats throughout the northern hemisphere. Servheen (1990) estimated that by 1989, the species ’ range and numbers worldwide had been reduced by more than 50 % since the mid-I 800s and...
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.645.4137 http://www.cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/cop/08/prop/E08-Prop-05_Ursus.PDF |
| Summary: | 21. Distribution: Ursus arctos is the most widespread of bear species, ranging from northern Arctic to dry desert habitats throughout the northern hemisphere. Servheen (1990) estimated that by 1989, the species ’ range and numbers worldwide had been reduced by more than 50 % since the mid-I 800s and that the future of the species worldwide can only be assured in those areas comprising the northeastern and northwestern Soviet Union, Alaska, and Canada. In China, Ursus arctos is distributed over three major areas of the country, two of them represented by the sub-populations ascribed to the CITES Appendix-! subspecies, U. a. isabel/inus and U. a. pruinosus (Figure). As described by Ma (1983), Ursus arctos isabeiinus inhabits forests at elevations of 700-4 000 m in central Asia, in the Tien-Shan and Pamir Mountains of western Xinjiang 29 MAMMALIA (1) Uygur; U. arctospruinosus occurs at elevations of 4 500-5 000 m on the alpine grassy steppes and cold deserts of Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) plateau from Qinghai and Kansu (Gansu province) south to Western Sichuan and Xizang (Tibet); and U. a. lasiotus occurs in forested areas of northeastern China in the Tahinganling, Wanda, and Changbai Mountains. Habitat loss and encroachment by man combined with unregulated harvest are causing contraction of Ursus arctos’ range and accelerating insularization of its populations throughout China (Servheen, 1990). Tien-Shan and the Pamir Mountains of Xinjiang Uygur (U. a. isabeiinus): This poputation was formerly part of the population ranging across the whole of the north terr~perate zone in Asia, Europe and North America. It is now restricted |
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