Introduction
Why Study Grizzly Bears?
With the expansion of human development into historically isolated regions, as well as the mounting effects of climate change, vulnerable environments such as in the Yukon are being watched for potential stresses on animal populations (Burt, 1943; Edwards, 2006; Ferguson & McLoughlin, 2000; McLoughlin et al., 2003; Pearson, 1976). In particular, grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) are being closely monitored by Environment Yukon due to the potential for negative impacts stemming from their lifestyle characteristics. Grizzly bears tend to have greater home ranges than their southern counterparts as a shorter growing season and harsher climate reduces the availability of quality forage. Additionally, low population densities, small litter sizes, high mortality of young and late ages of maturity result in low intrinsic rates of population growth which may render grizzly bears unable to cope with population declines from such impacts.
Project Aims
Mitigative efforts aimed at determining animal movement for population conservation have used GPS collar tracking data to identify dominant movement patterns for vulnerable species (LaPoint et al., 2013). Environment Yukon in partnership with a variety of groups have collared several bears throughout the Yukon. Our part in their study focuses on the population found on the North Slope at the Arctic coast. Using data collected by the collars, we identify areas in which individual grizzly bears were most densely populated and delineate animal-defined corridors of movement. From their movement patterns, we also determine preferential habitat that should be considered when making informed environmental and social decisions regarding development on the North Slope.
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