Conservation of Threatened Canada-USA Trans-border Grizzly Bears Linked to Comprehensive Conflict Reduction
Mortality resulting from human–wildlife conflicts affects wildlife populations globally. Since 2004, we have been researching conservation issues and implementing a comprehensive program to reduce human–bear conflicts (Ursus spp.; HBC) for 3 small, fragmented, and threatened grizzly bear (U. arctos)...
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ftutahsudc:oai:digitalcommons.usu.edu:hwi-1511 2023-05-15T18:42:16+02:00 Conservation of Threatened Canada-USA Trans-border Grizzly Bears Linked to Comprehensive Conflict Reduction Proctor, Michael F Kasworm, Wayne F Annis, Kimberly M MacHutchon, A. Grant Teisberg, Justin E Radandt, Thomas G Servheen, Chris 2018-01-01T08:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol12/iss3/6 https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1511&context=hwi unknown DigitalCommons@USU https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol12/iss3/6 https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1511&context=hwi Human–Wildlife Interactions conflict connectivity grizzly bear human-bear conflict human-caused mortality trans-border Ursus arctos Biology Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Population Biology text 2018 ftutahsudc 2022-03-07T21:45:08Z Mortality resulting from human–wildlife conflicts affects wildlife populations globally. Since 2004, we have been researching conservation issues and implementing a comprehensive program to reduce human–bear conflicts (Ursus spp.; HBC) for 3 small, fragmented, and threatened grizzly bear (U. arctos) populations in the trans-border region of southwest Canada and northwest USA. We explored the temporal and spatial patterns of conflict mortality and found that HBC contributed significantly to the threatened status of these populations by causing decline, fragmentation, and decreased habitat effectiveness. Our program to reduce HBCs primarily included strategic private lands purchased to reduce human density in wildlife corridors, the reduction of bear attractants where human settlement and agriculture exists, and the nonlethal management of conflict bears. Attractant management strategies encompassed public education, cost-share electric fencing, bear-resistant garbage containers, and deadstock containment. We taught bear safety courses and bear spray training to increase tolerance and give people tools to avoid negative encounters with bears. We radio-collared and used nonlethal management on potential conflict bears and have a ~75% success rate in that the bear was alive and out of conflict situations over the life of the radio-collar. We identified important backcountry grizzly bear foraging habitat for motorized access control to reduce conflict and mortality and provide habitat security to reproductive females. Ongoing monitoring has demonstrated that our comprehensive HBC program has resulted in a significant reduction in human-caused mortality, increased inter-population connectivity, and improved habitat effectiveness. Several challenges remain, however, including an increase in the numbers of young grizzly bears living adjacent to agricultural areas. Herein we discuss strategies for how to integrate conservation vision into future HBC reduction programs. Text Ursus arctos Utah State University: DigitalCommons@USU Canada |
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collection |
Utah State University: DigitalCommons@USU |
op_collection_id |
ftutahsudc |
language |
unknown |
topic |
conflict connectivity grizzly bear human-bear conflict human-caused mortality trans-border Ursus arctos Biology Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Population Biology |
spellingShingle |
conflict connectivity grizzly bear human-bear conflict human-caused mortality trans-border Ursus arctos Biology Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Population Biology Proctor, Michael F Kasworm, Wayne F Annis, Kimberly M MacHutchon, A. Grant Teisberg, Justin E Radandt, Thomas G Servheen, Chris Conservation of Threatened Canada-USA Trans-border Grizzly Bears Linked to Comprehensive Conflict Reduction |
topic_facet |
conflict connectivity grizzly bear human-bear conflict human-caused mortality trans-border Ursus arctos Biology Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Population Biology |
description |
Mortality resulting from human–wildlife conflicts affects wildlife populations globally. Since 2004, we have been researching conservation issues and implementing a comprehensive program to reduce human–bear conflicts (Ursus spp.; HBC) for 3 small, fragmented, and threatened grizzly bear (U. arctos) populations in the trans-border region of southwest Canada and northwest USA. We explored the temporal and spatial patterns of conflict mortality and found that HBC contributed significantly to the threatened status of these populations by causing decline, fragmentation, and decreased habitat effectiveness. Our program to reduce HBCs primarily included strategic private lands purchased to reduce human density in wildlife corridors, the reduction of bear attractants where human settlement and agriculture exists, and the nonlethal management of conflict bears. Attractant management strategies encompassed public education, cost-share electric fencing, bear-resistant garbage containers, and deadstock containment. We taught bear safety courses and bear spray training to increase tolerance and give people tools to avoid negative encounters with bears. We radio-collared and used nonlethal management on potential conflict bears and have a ~75% success rate in that the bear was alive and out of conflict situations over the life of the radio-collar. We identified important backcountry grizzly bear foraging habitat for motorized access control to reduce conflict and mortality and provide habitat security to reproductive females. Ongoing monitoring has demonstrated that our comprehensive HBC program has resulted in a significant reduction in human-caused mortality, increased inter-population connectivity, and improved habitat effectiveness. Several challenges remain, however, including an increase in the numbers of young grizzly bears living adjacent to agricultural areas. Herein we discuss strategies for how to integrate conservation vision into future HBC reduction programs. |
format |
Text |
author |
Proctor, Michael F Kasworm, Wayne F Annis, Kimberly M MacHutchon, A. Grant Teisberg, Justin E Radandt, Thomas G Servheen, Chris |
author_facet |
Proctor, Michael F Kasworm, Wayne F Annis, Kimberly M MacHutchon, A. Grant Teisberg, Justin E Radandt, Thomas G Servheen, Chris |
author_sort |
Proctor, Michael F |
title |
Conservation of Threatened Canada-USA Trans-border Grizzly Bears Linked to Comprehensive Conflict Reduction |
title_short |
Conservation of Threatened Canada-USA Trans-border Grizzly Bears Linked to Comprehensive Conflict Reduction |
title_full |
Conservation of Threatened Canada-USA Trans-border Grizzly Bears Linked to Comprehensive Conflict Reduction |
title_fullStr |
Conservation of Threatened Canada-USA Trans-border Grizzly Bears Linked to Comprehensive Conflict Reduction |
title_full_unstemmed |
Conservation of Threatened Canada-USA Trans-border Grizzly Bears Linked to Comprehensive Conflict Reduction |
title_sort |
conservation of threatened canada-usa trans-border grizzly bears linked to comprehensive conflict reduction |
publisher |
DigitalCommons@USU |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol12/iss3/6 https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1511&context=hwi |
geographic |
Canada |
geographic_facet |
Canada |
genre |
Ursus arctos |
genre_facet |
Ursus arctos |
op_source |
Human–Wildlife Interactions |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol12/iss3/6 https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1511&context=hwi |
_version_ |
1766231900488204288 |