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) 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

Spring and Summer Food Habits of Black Bears in the Pelly River Valley, Yukon

Northwest Science, Vol. 63. No. 3, 198

MODELING MOOSE SIGHTABILITY IN SOUTH-CENTRAL BRITISH COLUMBIA

We developed a model to correct sightability bias in aerial surveys of moose in the southern interior of British Columbia. Sightability trials were conducted by searching sample blocks where radio-collared moose were recorded and used as independent variables for a logistic regression model of sightability. Univariate analysis revealed that percent vegetative cover, percent snow cover, and daily temperature all significantly influenced the probability of detecting a moose. However, multivariate analysis retained only vegetative cover as teh significant variable to predict sightability probability. This mirrors the results of analysis of similar trials done in western Wyoming that used the same independent variables as well as 6 additional ones. Two logistic regression models were developed for moose sightability; one based on 5 classes of vegetative cover and a second, less accurate, based on 3 classes of vegetative cover