Recent observations of intraspecific predation and cannibalism among polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea
Intraspecific killing has been reported among polar bears (Ursus maritimus), brown bears (U. arctos), and black bears (U. americanus). Although cannibalism is one motivation for such killings, the ecological factors mediating such events are poorly understood. Between 24 January and 10 April 2004, we confirmed three instances of intraspecific predation and cannibalism in the Beaufort […]
Introducing a Semi-Naturalistic Exhibit As Structural Enrichment for Two Brown Bears (Ursus arctos). Does This Ensure Their Captive Well-Being?
In this study we used the daily activity pattern and use of space as indicators of change in the program of structural enrichment, implemented with 2 subjects of the species Ursus arctos in the Barcelona Zoo. We collected 930 sampling points in each study phase for each of the individuals: The samples were taken in […]
Stimulating Natural Behavior in Captive Bears
Brown bears (Ursus arctos) in zoos are often kept under sub-optimal conditions and have behavioral time-budgets that differ from their wild counterparts. We conducted 2 experiments using novel feeding conditions for captive European brown bears (scattering food rather than piling and increasing feeding frequencies from 3 to 6/day) in the Bear Forest (BF), a 2-ha […]
Food intake and mass gain of hand-reared brown bear cubs
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430120604.abs Five orphaned European brown bear cubs (Ursus arctos) from 3 litters were hand-reared from the ages of 1–4 months. Body mass initially ranged from 1.7 to 2.8 kg. Growth rates were monitored with reference to diet. Over a period of 3 years, 6 different feed formulas were used. The first 4 formulas were […]
Adaptation of blind brown bears to a new environment and its residents: stereotypy and play as indicators
Fourteen European brown bears (Ursus arctos) were confiscated in Turkey in October 1993. Three bears-1 female and 2 males-were blind and showed mainly stereotypies and behavior toward others that was passive, aggressive, or both. These blind bears were transported to the Zoo in the Netherlands and placed in an enclosure with 8 resident wolves and […]
Grizzly Bear Food Habits in the Northern Yukon, Canada
We documented seasonal food habits of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Firth River Valley, Ivvavik National Park (INP), northern Yukon, Canada, 1993-1995 using: (1) analysis of 176 scats, (2) 222 hours of direct observation, and (3) 99 feeding site investigations. In spring, the primary grizzly bear food plants were alpine hedysarum (Hedysarum alpinum) roots […]
Grizzly bear activity budget and pattern in the Firth River Valley, Yukon
I determined the activity of 5 radiocollared grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Firth River Valley, Ivvavik National Park, Yukon, Canada, based on 574 hours of direct observation during 1994 and 1995. Radiocollared grizzly bears that were feeding primarily on caribou (Rangifer tarandus) tended to spend less time feeding and more time traveling or resting […]
The function of strategic tree selectivity in the chemical signalling of brown bears
Large mammals select conspicuous objects on which to deposit their scent marks, which may function to supplement the olfactory signal, visually and/or chemically. Analysing marking sites is paramount to understanding whether signallers could mitigate potential fitness costs by placing scents strategically to reduce time and energy investment. The defining characteristics of marking sites are unclear […]
Fellatio in captive brown bears: Evidence of long-term effects of suckling deprivation?
Sexually stimulating behaviors that are not linked to reproduction are rare among non-human (especially non-primate) mammals. Such behaviors may have a function in the hierarchy of social species. In solitary species, such behaviors are more enigmatic, and possibly indicative of something abnormal. Here, we report on a case of two male brown bears, raised in […]
Physiological evidence for a human-induced landscape of fear in brown bears (Ursus arctos)
Human persecution is a major cause of mortality for large carnivores. Consequently, large carnivores avoid humans, but may use human-dominated landscapes by being nocturnal and elusive. Behavioral studies indicate that certain ecological systems are “landscapes of fear”, driven by antipredator behavior. Because behavior and physiology are closely interrelated, physiological assessments may provide insight into the […]