Brown Bear Management and Research
Publications & Reports
Management
Alaska has over 98 percent of the United States population of brown bears, and more than 70 percent of the North American population, so it has a special responsibility to this magnificent animal. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is responsible for managing bears in the state and for ensuring that management is based on the best scientific knowledge possible. Important aspects of this effort include maintaining healthy populations of bears throughout Alaska, conserving bear habitat, preventing overharvest, and conducting studies necessary to understand population requirements and how bears and people can co-exist. As Alaska continues to develop, it is critical that everyone recognize their role as stewards of this important resource and strive to safely share our great state with them.
Professional Publications
- Van Daele, L.J. and V.G. Barnes Jr. 2010. Management of Brown Bear Hunting on Kodiak Island, Alaska. (PDF 1,330 kB) Scandinavian Bear Conference. Rovdjurscentrum Orsa Grönklitt. Orsa, Sweden. January 2010.
Research
Interactive Maps
Working for Wildlife Video
Research Projects
- Grizzly and Black Bear Distribution and Abundance Relative to the 2004 Wildfires in Eastern Interior Alaska: Possible Intensive Management Consequences
- Grizzly bear use of the North Slope oilfields and surrounding region
- Population demographics of Kenai brown bears
Project Information
Grizzly bear use of the North Slope oilfields and surrounding region
Project 4.40, Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Grant Project. Duration: July 1, 2008–June 30, 2012. Principal Investigator: Richard Shideler, Fairbanks.
Knowledge of the interactions of grizzly bears with oil and gas exploration and production activities is important in order to reduce or minimize impacts of the development on this low-density and slow-growing bear population. Furthermore, potential impacts of development that affect the growth or survival of grizzly bears in the area can also affect harvest opportunities by sport hunters. Basic understanding of the population dynamics, habitat use, and potential impacts of oil and gas exploration and development are necessary to manage this bear population.
In addition to providing considerable ecological and demographic information about grizzly bears at the extreme of their distribution in North America, results from this study can be used to revise or develop mitigation strategies to avoid or minimize effects of the current and future oil and gas exploration and production on the North Slope. Both agencies and industry can use the results to tailor mitigation measures to reduce impacts on bears and increase employee safety. This in turn will reduce the need to remove bears from the population, and provide more opportunities for harvest within guidelines that reflect current demographic characteristics. Specific benefits include:
1 Provide a feasible and cost-effective method to detect denning grizzly bears by combining probabilistic habitat modeling and effective den detection methods so that off-road winter exploration, transportation and construction activities can avoid dens.
2 Evaluate the long-term effects of changes in anthropogenic food management in the oilfield region on grizzly bear demographic characteristics, and adjust grizzly bear harvest to account for these changes if necessary.
3 Evaluate the efficacy of RFID technology to identify individuals for use in management of grizzly bear in the oilfield situation, and the potential transfer of this technology to other wildlife applications.