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The broad negative effects of land-use conversion for agriculture on wildlife species are well known, but few studies have evaluated how different land-use types impact spatiotemporal patterns and trophic strategy of large carnivores. We conducted sign surveys for the Asiatic black bear, a critically endangered subspecies in southeastern Iran. We applied Bayesian occupancy modelling and quantified spatiotemporal determinants of black bear occurrence as a function of date palms, distance to agriculture, elevation, precipitation, and protected area (PA) size. We also investigated its diet composition based on scat (n = 150) analyses. Date palm area size (β = 2.07; 95 % Credible Interval = 0.67 to 3.89) and distance to croplands had a strong and significant (β = −1.06, 95 % CrI = −2.10 to −0.20) influence on the occupancy. Elevation, precipitation, village density, and PA size did not substantially influence occupancy. Black bear detection probability became 100 % only above 14 km survey effort, indicating its overall rarity, and bears were much more easily detected during and after rainfall. Bears mainly relied on date palms (41 %) followed by herbaceous plants (24.6 %), insects (15 %), wild mammals (6.4 %), wild fruits (5.6 %), livestock (4.9 %) and other vertebrates (2.5 %, e.g., birds). Most of the predicted bear occupancy was outside PAs and thus suggests a high likelihood of human-bear conflicts. Presumably, resource density is insufficient to support bears inside PAs, but information concerning resource density is currently lacking. Our results showed that the agricultural landscape provided an important feeding (46 %) area for bears. Consequently, effective conservation programs such as the protection of abandoned date palm groves as a conflict-free food source are necessary. Practical training such as protective measures against crop-raiding behavior of bears would be essential to foster the tolerance of people toward bears and thus can help facilitate coexistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This critical essay's purpose is to spark a discussion about the perceptions and behaviours of humans regarding time spent in "bear country." To do this, I will employ three concepts, the first of which is theriophobia, or "fear of the beast," a largely dormant concept in academic literature since the 1970s. The second is the "ecology of fear," or "the total impact of predators on prey populations and communities". The position taken here is that humans create a "landscape of fear" for bears through a continued form of manifest destiny, prioritizing the human experience in the non-human animal's natural environment. The third and final concept employed will be that of "wilderness gentrification", expanding its current academic usage to suggest that wilderness environments can become gentrified both by people moving into the natural habitats of predator species, as well as by an (over)abundance of human recreational presence there as well; in other words, humans asserting their desires and prioritizing their presence in the wild over the existence of bears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) are 1 of the 4 species of bears that occur in India. The extant range in India ranges from Jammu and Kashmir in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. In this present study, we report the first photographic evidence of Asiatic black bear from Gorumara National Park and low-elevation (80–100 m above sea level) tea plantations and towns in the foothills of the Himalayas in West Bengal, India, during 2021 and 2022. There have been multiple reports of bear sightings from different tea estates and localities around the national park. These reports of bear presence in these low-lying habitats of northern West Bengal raise questions about their sudden exodus from the mountains to the plains and call for a detailed study both in their native and current habitat to understand their ecology and behavior and to gather knowledge about the drivers of these disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biospheres are working landscapes that promote conservation and sustainable land-use while also providing space for outdoor recreation, environmental education, and research. This study focuses on Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada, which is part of the Beaver Hills Biosphere. The park is home to bison and black bears and growing visitor numbers have increased the potential for human-wildlife conflict. With a focus on the promotion of human-wildlife coexistence, this study takes a mixed-methods approach to develop and evaluate an environmental education program targeted to improve visitor awareness about safety around bison and bears at Elk Island National Park. The program was found to be effective in teaching visitors about safe behaviors around wildlife and key themes arose about important learning outcomes. In particular, the findings indicate interpretation and environmental education programs have the potential to increase awareness about safety for both humans and wildlife and shift away from more human-centric perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification and assessment of habitat suitability are essential to the conservation of threatened species such as the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) in Pakistan. Regionally, for example, in the Hindu Kush Mountains, there has been growing public concern regarding negative impacts on the bears' natural habitats due to land use and climate change. Many of the efforts to identify and conserve suitable habitats are based on limited data and have been unable to accurately predict habitat preferences. This study aims to fill this gap by developing predictive models for U. thibetanus based on the integration of new occurrences and climate and land cover data. We installed camera traps in 81 different locations across a gradient of elevation. Over the duration of 413 trap nights, we collected 110 different bear detections at 31 camera stations. The bear favored densely forested regions between 1,835 m and 3,348 m above sea level, with a catch rate of 26.6/100 trap nights. Our models demonstrated high levels of prediction accuracy (AUC > 0.97) and predicted that 43% of the total area would make a good habitat for bears. The mean temperature of coldest quarter, normalized difference vegetation index, and annual mean temperature were the main determinants of habitat suitability. The findings of this study, which is the first to map the current distribution and suitable habitat of the Asiatic black bear in the Hindu Kush Mountain Range, contribute new local-scale habitat suitability data to the study of bears in Swat Valley, Pakistan. Our results may be used to provide important conservation information for U. thibetanus that is useful to policymakers for improving future management planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The co-existence between brown bears (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) and farmers in the Pyrenees has been a major concern for several decades. The bear's depredation on livestock has multiple implications for traditional practices of extensive grazing and calls for a better understanding of the various ways in which humans and non-humans interact across different territories. The present dataset stems from "The Pastoralism and Bears in the Pyrenees" research project led by the GEODE laboratory (UMR 5602 CNRS-UT2J) in partnership with the Association Dissonances. Focusing on three summer pastures as places of encounter, this project proposes to explore the definition of co-existence, based on context-dependent and constantly evolving relationships between bears and pastoralists. As part of an interdisciplinary approach combining animal geography and ecology, the spatio-temporal activity of the different species was explored using a network of 118 camera traps. New information: The 118 camera traps were installed on the three summer pastures while livestock was present in the mountains between May and October, from 2021 to 2023 and were set in a 400 m x 400 m grid covering a total area of around 2,000 ha. The present dataset contains 57,928 occurrences of 22 taxon categories, including 19 identified species, two family categories (equids and mustelids) and one class category (birds). As pastoral activity is significantly present in these areas, livestock (sheep (Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758), equids, cows (Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758) and goats ( Capra hircus Linnaeus, 1758)) account for 16,207 occurrences across the three pastures. The three main wild species captured over the three years and three pastures were the red deer (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758; 9,517 occurrences), red fox (Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus, 1758; 9,400 occurrences) and wild boar (Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758; 4,016 occurrences). Data are aggregated at the grid scale. Nonetheless, the exact locations of each camera trap as well as the photos can be requested from us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent rising incidence of extreme natural events may significantly influence the implementation of citizen science projects, including the success of outreach strategies and the quality and scope of data collection. The MassMammals Watch and subsidiary MassBears citizen science projects, initiated during the height of the pandemic, recruit volunteers to submit sightings of black bears and other mammals. In this study, we evaluated the methods we employed for engaging and retaining community volunteers during a period of intense social restrictions, and we assessed whether such conditions were associated with spatial biases in our collected data. Newspaper features were more likely to recruit volunteers who engaged with the project multiple times, but social media and internet presence were important for reaching a larger audience. Bear sighting submissions peaked in number and were more likely to be in forested areas during 2020, the height of the pandemic, compared to later years, a pattern which we suggest stems from an increased desire to participate in outdoor activities in light of social distancing measures during that year. Such shifts in patterns of data collection are likely to continue, particularly in response to increasing extreme weather events associated with climate change. Here, we both make recommendations on optimal outreach strategies for others initiating citizen science programs and illustrate the importance of assessing potential biases in data collection imposed by extreme circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is classified as vulnerable according to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to habitat fragmentation and population decline. We used camera traps and a Random Encounter Model (REM) to estimate the population density of Asiatic black bears during the autumn and winter seasons in the Hindu Raj Mountains. We estimated, using the REM, a population density of U. thibetanus of 1.875 (standard error = 0.185) per square kilometer, which is significantly higher than that in other habitats. Our results showed that during autumn and winter, the bear population density tends to concentrate at lower elevations. Forest cover showed a positive correlation with the rates of bear encounters unlike the Euclidean distance to human settlements, altitude, and aspect variables. To improve bear conservation, it is very important to determine population density in all seasons at different elevations and to investigate how the depletion or abundance of acorns or other natural food resources is associated with human–bear conflicts in the study area. Estimating the population density of vulnerable species, such as the elusive and nocturnal Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), is essential for wildlife conservation and management. We used camera traps and a Random Encounter Model (REM) to estimate the population density of U. thibetanus during the autumn and winter seasons in the Hindu Raj Mountains. We installed 23 camera traps from October to December 2020 and acquired 66 independent pictures of Asiatic black bears over 428 trap nights. Our results showed that the bears preferred lowland areas with the presence of Quercus spp. We estimated, using the REM, a population density of U. thibetanus of 1.875 (standard error = 0.185) per square kilometer, which is significantly higher than that in other habitats. Our results showed that during autumn and winter, the bear population density tends to concentrate at lower elevations. Forest cover showed a positive correlation with the rates of bear encounters unlike the Euclidean distance to human settlements, altitude, and aspect variables. The approaches used here are cost-effective for estimating the population density of rare and vulnerable species such as U. thibetanus, and can be used to estimate their population density in Pakistan. Population density estimation can identify areas where the bears live and human–bear conflicts occurred and use this information in future wildlife management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that the American black bear (Ursus americanus) may be responsible for a significant number of purported sightings of an alleged unknown species of hominid in North America. Previous analyses have identified a correlation between 'sasquatch' or 'bigfoot' sightings and black bear populations in the Pacific Northwest using ecological niche models and simple models of expected animal sightings. The present study expands the analysis to the entire US and Canada by modelling sasquatch sightings and bear populations in each state/province while adjusting for human population and forest area in a generalized linear model. Sasquatch sightings were statistically significantly associated with bear populations such that, on the average, every 1000 bear increase in the bear population is associated with a 4% (95% CI: 1–7%) increase in sasquatch sightings. Thus, as black bear populations increase, sasquatch sightings are expected to increase. On average, across all states and provinces in 2006, after controlling for human population and forest area, there were approximately 5000 bears per sasquatch sighting. Based on statistical considerations, it is likely that many supposed sasquatch are really misidentified known forms. If bigfoot is there, it could be a bear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence, intensity, or outcome of interference competition and interspecific killing between predominantly solitary species operating on large spatial scales is challenging to document or test. Here, we present a detailed account of inter‐ and intraspecific interactions from contemporaneous GPS location data and in‐field investigation. In June 2018, a GPS‐collared female cougar (Puma concolor) maintained strong site fidelity for a period of 19 days, indicative of parturition behavior and establishment of a nursery site. In early July 2018, three GPS‐collared black bears (Ursus americanus) arrived at the nursery site, after which the female cougar abandoned the site. Site investigation showed that one or more bears predated an unknown number of cougar kittens. The evidence supports ecological theory suggesting that body size, mass, or group number is an important predictor of outcome. Our observation provides an example of bears potentially making risk–reward trade‐offs by eliminating a potential competitor that at the same time provisions carrion as critical food resources. These real‐time inter‐ and intraspecies competitive interactions as documented using GPS collars allow for greater insight into individual fitness and community‐level effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing niche evolution remains an open question and an actively developing area of study. The family Ursidae consists of eight extant species for which, despite being the most studied family of carnivores, little is known about the influence of climate on their evolutionary history and diversification. We evaluated their evolutionary patterns based on a combined phylogeography and niche modeling approach. We used complete mitogenomes, estimated divergence times, generated ecological niche models and applied a phyloclimatic model to determine the species evolutionary and diversification patterns associated with their respective environmental niches. We inferred the family evolutionary path along the environmental conditions of maximum temperature and minimum precipitation, from around 20 million years ago to the present. Our findings show that the phyloclimatic niches of the bear species occupy most of the environmental space available on the planet, except for the most extreme warm conditions, in accordance with the wide geographic distribution of Ursidae. Moreover, some species exhibit broader environmental niches than others, and in some cases, they explore precipitation axes more extensively than temperature axes or vice versa, suggesting that not all species are equally adaptable to these variables. We were able to elucidate potential patterns of niche conservatism and evolution, as well as niche overlapping, suggesting interspecific competitive exclusion between some of the bear species. We present valuable insights into the ecological and evolutionary processes driving the diversification and distribution of the Ursidae. Our approach also provides essential information for guiding effective conservation strategies, particularly in terms of distribution limits in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying individual animals, especially in large mammals, is an important goal for wildlife biologists and managers. Bears, occupying diverse habitats, face and experience significant conflict. Among Asian bears, the sloth bear Melursus ursinus (Shaw, 1791; Vulnerable IUCN Red List) is reported vulnerable due to negative interactions with humans, requiring solutions like identifying bear individuals using morphological features. To do so, we used an image-comparison algorithm to evaluate the uniqueness of chest markings using structural similarity index (SSIM) and trained a deep learning model based on the EfficientNet architecture for predicting an individual bear classification. We collected 1567 images (of 144 bears) to examine individual-level differences in chestmark patterns. The comparison yielded 98% accuracy in differentiating chestmarks as a unique pattern for an individual. Subsequently, we trained a circular classification model based on EfficientNet framework using augmented 5628 images for training (80%; of 115 bears), which was validated over 95% for top one and 99% for five individual predictions on 1407 testing images (20%; of 115 bears). The final step involved passing 58 non-augmented images (of 29 out-of-train bears), and the top five predictions of closely similar patterns suggested by the model were then manually compared for similarities in shapes, which suggested whether the image belonged to a new individual. The high accuracy of comparison and classification models suggests the potential applicability of this technique for helping maintain the ex-situ bear database, identifying the conflict individual and estimating bear populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of a new Cosmetidae species from Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama, with unusual sexual dimorphism and colouration, presented an identification challenge due to the limited knowledge of the taxonomy of cosmetids in Central America. The new species is notable for the extensive bright orange blots on the dorsal scutum and by the unusual structure of tibia IV of males, which is not incrassate, and bears two compact rows of strong spines. After examination of both type and non-type specimens of the type species of the genus Poecilaemula Roewer, 1912 (Meterginus signatus Banks, 1909), we decided that the new species should be assigned to this genus, and that the current circumscription of the genus is debatable as a natural group. Here, we propose a new definition of Poecilaemula, which includes three species: the type species from Costa Rica; Poecilaemula ichingsp. n. from western Panama; and the species Poecilaemula eutypa (Chamberlin, 1925) comb. n. from eastern Panama, which is newly transferred from Paecilaema C.L. Koch, 1839. Additionally, Paecilaemana reimoseri Roewer, 1933 is considered a new junior subjective synonym of Meterginus signatus Banks 1909 (currently under Poecilaemula). The five South American species currently included in Poecilaemula reveal a geographic discrepancy, and they should be transferred to other genera in future investigations because they do not share any special similarity with the type species of the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Radochowska Cave is known primarily from the find of a cave bear skull, intended to be placed intentionally by Palaeolithic hunters in a 'stone cage'. This find was supposed to be proof of the existence of the cult of bear hunters at this site. Critical analysis did not give a clear answer to its occurrence or a clear negation of this phenomenon. Research is not facilitated by the fact that a large part of the collection was lost after World War II. The found part, especially numerously represented by predatory mammals, made it possible to verify the old lists of fauna and extend them with a number of new species, often unknown from the Polish Sudetes, such as Cuon alpinus europaeus or Panthera pardus. The analysis showed the presence of two main faunistic associations. The older one, dated to MIS 3, is represented by a number of cold-loving forms. Remains of Holocene species and those from the very end of the last glaciation represent the second faunal assemblage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its arrival in North America during December 2021, the Eurasian highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1, clade 2.3.4.4b, has been associated with a high mortality rate for [...]

In 2001 and 2002, 52 elk (Cervus canadensis; 21 males, 31 females), originally obtained from Elk Island National Park, Alberta, Canada, were transported and released into Cataloochee Valley in the northeastern portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM, Park), North Carolina, USA. The annual population growth rate (λ) was negative (0.996, 95% CI = 0.945–1.047) and predation by black bears (Ursus americanus) on elk calves was identified as an important determinant of population growth. From 2006 to 2008, 49 bears from the primary elk calving area (i.e., Cataloochee Valley) were trapped and translocated about 70 km to the southwestern portion of the Park just prior to elk calving. Per capita recruitment (i.e., the number of calves produced per adult female that survive to 1 year of age) increased from 0.306 prior to bear translocation (2001–2005) to 0.544 during years when bears were translocated (2006–2008) and λ increased to 1.118 (95% CI = 1.096–1.140). Our objective was to determine whether per capita calf recruitment rates after bear removal (2009–2019) at Cataloochee were similar to the higher rates estimated during bear removal (i.e., long‐term response) or if they returned to rates before bear removal (i.e., short‐term response), and how those rates compared with recruitment from portions of our study area where bears were not relocated. We documented 419 potential elk calving events and monitored 129 yearling and adult elk from 2001 to 2019. Known‐fate models based on radio‐telemetry and observational data supported calf recruitment returning to pre‐2006 levels at Cataloochee (short‐term response); recruitment of Cataloochee elk before and after bear relocation was lower (0.184) than during bear relocation (0.492). Recruitment rates of elk outside the removal area during the bear relocation period (0.478) were similar to before and after rates (0.420). In the Cataloochee Valley, cause‐specific annual calf mortality rates due to predation by bears were 0.319 before, 0.120 during, and 0.306 after bear relocation. In contrast, the cause‐specific annual mortality rate of calves in areas where bears were not relocated was 0.033 after the bear relocation period, with no bear predation on calves before or during bear relocation. The mean annual population growth rate for all monitored elk was 1.062 (95% CI = 0.979–1.140) after bear relocation based on the recruitment and survival data. Even though the effects of bear removal were temporary, the relocations were effective in achieving a short‐term increase in elk recruitment, which was important for the reintroduction program given that the elk population was small and vulnerable to extirpation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This paper looks at past relationships between humans and certain wild animal species, that is, raptors, bears, beavers, and elks. As we have observed, it was the behaviour of animals that caught the attention of humans, such as spectacular flights and hunting by raptors, the similarities in bear and human behaviour, the fascinating impressiveness and charisma of elks, and the landscape-shaping by enigmatic beavers. All these animals have special meanings to humans far beyond their economic significance. Wild goshawks, falcons, and other raptor species have acted as trained hunting companions, but they were never domesticated and had to be treated with care. As for bear, beaver, and elk, there were often complex rituals before, during, and after the killing, because there was no clear separation between humans and animals. The animals were not just prey but equal beings and other-than-human persons. However, there were also changes over time in the human–animal relationship, such as the advent of the farming way of life with a preference for domesticated animals, as well as the arrival of Christianity, by which animals became second to human. Humans have developed a special relationship with some animal species throughout history, even though these animals were never domesticated. Based on raptors, bears, beavers, and elks, the question of whether there are similarities between the perception of these animals that triggered a special kind of fascination in humans and how the relationship between humans and these animals changed between Mesolithic age and medieval times is addressed. As we demonstrate, the categorical antagonism between 'animal' and 'human' is a concept that saw different kinds of influence, from the advent of sedentarism and husbandry to Christianity and from philosophical thinking in Classical Antiquity and the Period of Enlightenment. In prehistory and early history, we find different, opposing world views across time, cultures, and periods. Differences between animals and humans have been considered as fluid, and humans have had to engage with animals and their needs. The well-known and famous 'bear ceremonies' attested to different peoples and times were not unique, but were a part of belief systems that also included other animal species. Among the considered animals, certain raptor species attracted the attention of humans who tried to establish contact with them, as companions, whereas bears were almost 'disguised humans' due to all their similarities with humans, but they were also tabooed beings whose real names had to be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although sleeping is essential for animals, little is known about the characteristics of Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) bed sites (resting sites). We studied bed-site selection of Asiatic black bears in the Central Alps, Japan, 2021–2022, by monitoring 12 GPS-collared bears and examining 56 bed sites. We assessed horizontal visibility, canopy openness, and dominant vegetation at both bed and control sites, accounting for season and time of day. Findings suggest bears prefer bed sites at the base of thick trees, such as Japanese red pines (Pinus densiflora) and Japanese larches (Larix kaempferi). Bed sites with low visibility were chosen during spring or autumn, corresponding with higher human activity, but not in summer. Proximity to foods, particularly in broad-leaved forests with abundant food such as buds, leaves, and acorn seeds, may influence bed-site selection during spring or autumn. Both sexes showed similar trends. This implies the interplay of safety and food access in Asiatic black bear bed-site selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having reproducible and transparent science‐based processes in wildlife management ensures the integrity of decision making. These processes are particularly important when establishing harvest frameworks, as guiding information in the peer‐reviewed literature is limited. We provide an example using multiple data sets, whose products guided aspects of the development of a harvest framework for a population of recolonizing American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Missouri, USA. To characterize the spatial distribution of harvest, we used 10 years (2010–2019) of black bear global positioning system (GPS) location data and 30 years (1991–2020) of sightings data to assess spatial vulnerability to harvest as the intersection among information on bear occurrence, bear sightings, and hunter land‐use tendencies (i.e., the avoidance of steep slopes, large distances from roads). We then used the spatial vulnerability assessment, information on the distribution of public and private lands, and easily discernable boundaries (i.e., major highways, rivers) to suggest boundaries for bear management zones. Additionally, to identify the timing of harvest that would limit female harvest bias, we assessed the temporal vulnerability of harvest using sex‐based changes in average daily step lengths and monthly utilization distribution sizes during fall. Black bear occurrence and sighting propensity was greater in southwestern Missouri, and potential hunter land use appeared pervasive across the landscape given the lack of landscape features that would disincentivize use. Given the influence of black bear occurrence and sighting propensity, spatial harvest vulnerability diminished from southern and southeastern to central portions of Missouri, with areas north of the Missouri River not a part of the established black bear range. We consequently divided areas south of the Missouri River into 3 black bear management zones: a small southwestern zone with primarily private lands and high harvest vulnerability, a southeastern zone that encompassed considerable public lands and moderate amounts of vulnerability, and a central zone that was composed mainly of areas of low vulnerability. Temporally, males did not exhibit movement‐based changes, but females became less active after the first week of October and used 63.9% less area through fall. Based on movements rates of males and females, a hunting season after the first week of October could reduce the likelihood of females being harvested. Harvests from the black bear harvest season in 2021 suggest that the proportion of bears harvested in each zone was similar in distribution to the proportion of permits allocated across zones with no harvest sex bias, which was aligned with agency goals. Animal movement and space use data products can guide harvest framework decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The range of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) extends in its western limits to southeastern Iran where the species lives in arid mountainous landscapes in low densities. A better understanding of the adaptations of this threatened subspecies, the Baluchistan black bear (U. t. gedrosianus), to these harsh environmental conditions is necessary to devise conservation action. Here, we investigated the use and characteristics of Asiatic black bear dens in Hormozgan Province, one of the critical components of its life cycle. We detected 12 dens in caves and monitored them from 2012 to 2021 using camera traps (1,972 trap-nights). We obtained 138 bear detections, together with detections of 8 other wildlife species, in 12 dens. Our findings show that bears use dens as heat and probably anthropogenic refugia. Given the importance of dens for the Asiatic black bear, we suggest protecting these areas from human disturbances and expanding efforts to other areas with bear dens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the advent of high‐resolution GPS tracking technology has helped increase our understanding of individual and multispecies behavior in wildlife systems, detecting and recording direct interactions between free‐ranging animals remains difficult. In 2023, we deployed GPS collars equipped with proximity sensors (GPS proximity collars) on brown bears (Ursus arctos) and moose (Alces alces) as part of a multispecies interaction study in central Sweden. On 6 June, 2023, a collar on an adult female moose and a collar on an adult male bear triggered each other's UHF signal and started collecting fine‐scale GPS positioning data. The moose collar collected positions every 2 min for 89 min, and the bear collar collected positions every 1 min for 41 min. On 8 June, field personnel visited the site and found a female neonate moose carcass with clear indications of bear bite marks on the head and neck. During the predation event, the bear remained at the carcass while the moose moved back and forth, moving toward the carcass site about five times. The moose was observed via drone with two calves on 24 May and with only one remaining calf on 9 June. This case study describes, to the best of our knowledge, the first instance of a predation event between two free ranging, wild species recorded by GPS proximity collars. Both collars successfully triggered and switched to finer‐scaled GPS fix rates when the individuals were in close proximity, producing detailed movement data for both predator and prey during and after a predation event. We suggest that, combined with standard field methodology, GPS proximity collars placed on free‐ranging animals offer the ability for researchers to observe direct interactions between multiple individuals and species in the wild without the need for direct visual observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 2014-2019, 8 juvenile black bears (Ursus americanus) from different geographic regions were presented to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife because of emaciation, alopecia, and exfoliative dermatitis that resulted in death or euthanasia. Autopsy and histopathology revealed that all 8 bears had generalized hyperkeratotic dermatitis, folliculitis, and furunculosis. Skin structures were heavily colonized by fungal hyphae and arthrospores; fungal cultures of skin from 7 bears yielded Trichophyton equinum, a zoophilic dermatophyte reported only rarely in non-equid species. Additional skin conditions included mites (5), ticks (2), and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus sp. infections (2). No other causes of morbidity or mortality were identified. Molecular comparisons performed at the University of Texas Fungal Reference Laboratory determined that all isolates produced identical banding patterns, potentially representing a clonal population. Dermatophytosis is commonly localized and limited to the stratum corneum of the epidermis and hair follicles. Generalized disease with dermal involvement is rare in immunocompetent individuals; illness, malnutrition, age, or immunosuppression may increase susceptibility. Underlying causes for the severe disease impact in these bears were not evident after physical or postmortem examination. The mechanism by which bears from different geographic locations had severe, T. equinum-associated dermatophytosis from a potentially clonal dermatophyte could not be explained and warrants further investigation.

Most Western humans think of more-than-human animals as having certain spatial requirements adequate to their needs to feed, reproduce and survive but assume that their territorial needs are more or less generic and interchangeable. In his acclaimed literary nonfiction book The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek (2008) Sid Marty represents the spaces and places of two bears, a black bear and a grizzly bear. In this animal biography cum forensic account of a series of bear attacks upon humans in Banff, Alberta, Canada, during eleven days in 1980, Marty reconstructs the events by researching the particular bears and interviewing the wardens involved, and factoring in the climatic and environmental forces – particularly the eruption that spring of Mount St. Helens and the concomitant alteration of weather patterns and plant growth as far away as Banff, Alberta – that led to the unusually high number of tragic bear-human encounters that summer. I argue that The Black Grizzly of Whiskey Creek, several chapters of which Marty writes in the third-person as if from the points of view of each of the two individual bears involved, allows us to explore how we might think of bears’ and by extension other more-than-human animals’ senses of place and exemplifies how literary works can play a role in coming to understand more fully the lives of some of our animal relations. I argue that bears’ tremendous olfactory senses are so indelibly connected with their familiar surroundings as to constitute a veritable “scents of place.”