BEAR BEHAVIOR IN THE VICINITY OF SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING STATIONS IN WESTERN WASHINGTON

Black bear can inflict severe negative Impacts on timber stands in the northwestern United States. A supplemental feeding program to provide bears an alternative food source during spring is practiced in the state of Washington, and to a lesser extent in other states. We initiated concurrent studies to assess characteristics of bear that forage at feeding stations, the interactions of bears around feeders, and impacts of the program on bear territories. Numerous bears fed at stations, including females with and without cubs, yearlings, and males. Bear feeding bouts at stations were generally short, less than 15 minutes. Bears generally fed alone, although we observed 2 to 3 adult bears at a feeder simultaneously and feeding partners were not consistent. There was little antagonistic behavior observed around the feeders, and no evidence that this behavior inhibited foraging opportunities for long. On the rare occasion a bear was driven from a feeder it returned later that same day to feed. Bear territories that included feeding stations were similar in size to territories of bears without access to feeders. However, there may be more overlap of territories at feeding sites, and during the spring bears with feeders do not visit some parts of their territory as frequently as those without feeders

EFFECT OF FEEDING STATIONS ON THE HOME RANGES OF AMERICAN BLACK BEARS IN WESTERN WASHINGTON

Forest managers establish feeding stations throughout coniferous forests in western Washington that are vulnerable to American black bear (Ursus americanus) damage in the spring. This study was conducted to determine whether the home ranges of bears in areas with supplemental feeding were smaller than the home ranges of bears in similar adjacent areas without supplemental feeding. Home range sizes varied among bears. However, the home range sizes of bears in feeding areas did not differ (P \u3e 0.35) from home ranges of bears in non-feeding areas. Male bears had larger (P = 0.0002) home ranges than female bears, but this difference was consistent across both treatments (P \u3e 0.35). Bear home ranges were reduced (P = 0.029) during the feeding period relative to the non-feeding period, but this reduction was not related to treatment (P = 0.261). Although the supplemental feeding program did not affect home range sizes, the telemetry study data, supported by data collected through video-monitoring of feeding sites, indicated that feeding stations may attract and concentrate bears at specific locations

Are Austrian returns to education falling over time?

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Bear response to supplemental feed offered to reduce tree peeling

Black bears (Ursus americanus) strip bark from coniferous trees to feed on newly forming vascular tissue during spring. Damage inflicted through this behavior can be extremely detrimental to the health and economic value of timber stands. A supplemental feeding program to provide bears an alternative food source during spring is practiced by some resource managers. We evaluated the efficacy of the program and conducted concurrent studies to assess select behavioral characteristics of feeding bears and impacts of providing supplemental feed on nutritional status of bears. The efficacy study revealed the percentage of damaged trees in stands with foraging bears varied from 2% to 52%. When supplemental feeding was introduced on these stands, damage was reduced to approximately 10% of that sustained on untreated stands. Concurrent experiments provided insightful data on bear use of feeding stations. Numerous bears fed at the stations, including females with and without cubs, yearlings, and boars. Bear feeding bouts at the stations were generally short, less than 30 minutes. Bears generally fed alone, although 2 to 3 adult bears were observed at a feeder simultaneously and the feeding partners were not consistent. There was little antagonistic behavior observed around the feeders, and no evidence that this behavior inhibited foraging opportunities for long. On the rare occasion a bear was driven from a feeder it returned later that same day to feed, generally within an hour. Supplemental feeding also did not affect the home range sizes of bears in feeding areas, but it may serve to concentrate bears in a particular location. Bears consuming supplemental feed did gain a significant nutritional advantage while feeding, but this did not equate to long term increases in age-specific body masses or fat content

Bear response to supplemental feed offered to reduce tree peeling

Black bears (Ursus americanus) strip bark from coniferous trees to feed on newly forming vascular tissue during spring. Damage inflicted through this behavior can be extremely detrimental to the health and economic value of timber stands. A supplemental feeding program to provide bears an alternative food source during spring is practiced by some resource managers. We evaluated the efficacy of the program and conducted concurrent studies to assess select behavioral characteristics of feeding bears and impacts of providing supplemental feed on nutritional status of bears. The efficacy study revealed the percentage of damaged trees in stands with foraging bears varied from 2% to 52%. When supplemental feeding was introduced on these stands, damage was reduced to approximately 10% of that sustained on untreated stands. Concurrent experiments provided insightful data on bear use of feeding stations. Numerous bears fed at the stations, including females with and without cubs, yearlings, and boars. Bear feeding bouts at the stations were generally short, less than 30 minutes. Bears generally fed alone, although 2 to 3 adult bears were observed at a feeder simultaneously and the feeding partners were not consistent. There was little antagonistic behavior observed around the feeders, and no evidence that this behavior inhibited foraging opportunities for long. On the rare occasion a bear was driven from a feeder it returned later that same day to feed, generally within an hour. Supplemental feeding also did not affect the home range sizes of bears in feeding areas, but it may serve to concentrate bears in a particular location. Bears consuming supplemental feed did gain a significant nutritional advantage while feeding, but this did not equate to long term increases in age-specific body masses or fat content