Current Research Projects
Brown Bears and
Semi-domestic Reindeer
Traditional pastoralist systems and large carnivore populations are both under threat worldwide, and their preservation and conservation are key goals. Reindeer herding is a fundamental way of life for Scandinavia's Sami people. Understanding and mitigating bear depredation on semi-domesticated reindeer is therefore key for mitigating predation and promoting coexistence.
Multispecies Interactions
Bears do not exist in a vaccum. They move through landscapes that are heavily dominated by humans and interact with other large ungulates and carnivores in the ecosystem, all of which can affect their behavior. A new study in Sweden's Ljusdal area represents a unique opportunity to collaboratively explore interactions between bears, wolves, moose, and red deer; this is the first time that all four species have been GPS-collared at the same place and time in Sweden!
Lead (Pb) in the Environment
This project was initiated in 2019 as Lead exposure in Scandinavian brown bears with a primary goal to assess and monitor environmental lead (Pb) pollution and exposure in Scandinavian ecosystems, using the brown bear as a sentinel species. Since then, it has grown into the Consortium on Environmental Lead Exposure, an informal network of collaborating scientists from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Bear Physiology and Human Medicine
Brown bears have developed a unique ability to maintain their metabolic health, even during prolonged periods of inactivity during hibernation. Unlike humans, they manage to avoid the health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle such as blood clots, heart attacks, diabetes, kidney failure, and loss of muscle and bone. Understanding the mechanisms behind these adaptations may provide insight into the treatment of people with similar disorders.