Large carnivores under assault in Alaska.

• Published in: PLOS Biology
• Main Authors: William J Ripple, Sterling D Miller, John W Schoen, Sanford P Rabinowitch
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019
• Subjects: Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Ursus arctos; Alaska
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000090; https://doaj.org/article/7c9ecabc031e4cbba8e39522c98d4874

In Alaska, gray wolves (Canis lupis), brown bears (Ursus arctos), and black bears (U. americanus) are managed in most of the state in ways intended to significantly reduce their abundance in the expectation of increasing hunter harvests of ungulates. To our knowledge, Alaska is unique in the world because this management priority is both widespread and mandated by state law. Large carnivore management in Alaska is a reversion to outdated management concepts and occurs without effective monitoring programs designed to scientifically evaluate impacts on predator populations. Large carnivore management in Alaska should be based on rigorous science including the status and trends of carnivore populations.