Terrestrial predation by polar bears: not just a wild goose chase
Behavioral predictions based on optimal foraging models that assume an energy-maximizing strategy have been challenged on both theoretical and empirical grounds. Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are specialist predators of seal pups on the Arctic ice pack, the use of terrestrial food sources d...
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ftutahsudc:oai:digitalcommons.usu.edu:wild_facpub-2501 2024-04-21T08:00:11+00:00 Terrestrial predation by polar bears: not just a wild goose chase Koons, David N. lles, D. T. Peterson, S. L. Gormezana, L J Rockwell, R F 2013-01-01T08:00:00Z https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/wild_facpub/1501 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1341-5 unknown Hosted by Utah State University Libraries https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/wild_facpub/1501 doi:10.1007/s00300-013-1341-5 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1341-5 Copyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact the Institutional Repository Librarian at digitalcommons@usu.edu. Wildland Resources Faculty Publications Life Sciences text 2013 ftutahsudc https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1341-5 2024-03-27T15:30:41Z Behavioral predictions based on optimal foraging models that assume an energy-maximizing strategy have been challenged on both theoretical and empirical grounds. Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are specialist predators of seal pups on the Arctic ice pack, the use of terrestrial food sources during the ice-free period has received increased attention in recent years in light of climate predictions. Across a 10-day period of observation, we documented between four and six individual polar bears successfully capture at least nine flightless lesser snow geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) and engage in at least eight high-speed pursuits of geese. The observed predatory behaviors of polar bears do not support predictions made by energy-optimizing foraging models and suggest that polar bears may frequently engage in energy inefficient pursuits of terrestrial prey. Further study of the nutritional needs and foraging behaviors of polar bears during the ice-free period is warranted, given that polar bears are predicted to spend more time on land as climate change advances. Text Climate change Ursus maritimus Utah State University: DigitalCommons@USU Polar Biology 36 9 1373 1379 |
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Utah State University: DigitalCommons@USU |
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ftutahsudc |
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unknown |
topic |
Life Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Life Sciences Koons, David N. lles, D. T. Peterson, S. L. Gormezana, L J Rockwell, R F Terrestrial predation by polar bears: not just a wild goose chase |
topic_facet |
Life Sciences |
description |
Behavioral predictions based on optimal foraging models that assume an energy-maximizing strategy have been challenged on both theoretical and empirical grounds. Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are specialist predators of seal pups on the Arctic ice pack, the use of terrestrial food sources during the ice-free period has received increased attention in recent years in light of climate predictions. Across a 10-day period of observation, we documented between four and six individual polar bears successfully capture at least nine flightless lesser snow geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) and engage in at least eight high-speed pursuits of geese. The observed predatory behaviors of polar bears do not support predictions made by energy-optimizing foraging models and suggest that polar bears may frequently engage in energy inefficient pursuits of terrestrial prey. Further study of the nutritional needs and foraging behaviors of polar bears during the ice-free period is warranted, given that polar bears are predicted to spend more time on land as climate change advances. |
format |
Text |
author |
Koons, David N. lles, D. T. Peterson, S. L. Gormezana, L J Rockwell, R F |
author_facet |
Koons, David N. lles, D. T. Peterson, S. L. Gormezana, L J Rockwell, R F |
author_sort |
Koons, David N. |
title |
Terrestrial predation by polar bears: not just a wild goose chase |
title_short |
Terrestrial predation by polar bears: not just a wild goose chase |
title_full |
Terrestrial predation by polar bears: not just a wild goose chase |
title_fullStr |
Terrestrial predation by polar bears: not just a wild goose chase |
title_full_unstemmed |
Terrestrial predation by polar bears: not just a wild goose chase |
title_sort |
terrestrial predation by polar bears: not just a wild goose chase |
publisher |
Hosted by Utah State University Libraries |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/wild_facpub/1501 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1341-5 |
genre |
Climate change Ursus maritimus |
genre_facet |
Climate change Ursus maritimus |
op_source |
Wildland Resources Faculty Publications |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/wild_facpub/1501 doi:10.1007/s00300-013-1341-5 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1341-5 |
op_rights |
Copyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact the Institutional Repository Librarian at digitalcommons@usu.edu. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1341-5 |
container_title |
Polar Biology |
container_volume |
36 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
1373 |
op_container_end_page |
1379 |
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1796940718144487424 |