Diet Monitoring
Scat analysis
The SBBRP has been systematically collecting bear scats since 2015 in order to understand and track bear diet, a process which continues today. Field crews track and collect scats from all GPS collared bears each year, collecting a scat from each animal once every one or two weeks throughout their active period (April/May until late October). Scats are carefully collected to ensure that they have come from the focal individual. Each scat is then weighed, washed, and visually examined to identify dietary items, which are identified in as much taxonomic detail as possible.
Predation studies
The SBBRP has conducted a variety of predation studies over the years to assess brown bear predation on ungulates. Predation studies vary slightly in methodology, but all generally use a combination of GPS cluster-analysis and field site-visits to identify prey remains and quantify kill rates. GPS ‘cluster analysis’ is used to pinpoint areas of localized bear activity and select locations for field visits. Locations of interest, or ‘clusters’ are defined by applying several parameters to GPS locational data (e.g., distance between GPS locations, number of locations within a defined area, time interval between GPS fixes). After identifying the clusters, field crews visit the site and search for prey remains, generally within a 30 m radius of the clustered GPS points, and record cause of death, species, age, and sex. We also often collect biological samples such as scat and hair for DNA analysis and record other pertinent information such as site characteristics like habitat type and cover. Following bears in this way over multiple seasons has allowed us to estimate kill rates on both moose and reindeer.
