Den Entry Behavior in Scandinavian Brown Bears: Implications for Preventing Human Injuries.

ABSTRACT: Encounters between Scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos) and humans that result in human injuries and fatalities typically coincide with den entry in October and November, and commonly occur near a den. Our aim was to determine when bears arrive at their dens, identify potential predictors of this event, document behavior and activity associated with this period, and attempt to explain the increased risk of bear-caused human injuries in this period. We analyzed global positioning system (GPS) location and activity data from brown bears in south-central Sweden, using generalized linear mixed models, statistical process control, and activity analyses. Bears arrived at their den sites between 6 October and 1 December. Timing varied by reproductive category, bear age, and year. Half o

SUBMITTER: Sahlen V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4383655 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature