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Journal Publications
McLoughlin, P.D., R. Case, R.J. Gau, S.
Ferguson, and F. Messier. 1999. Annual and seasonal movement patterns
of barren-ground grizzly bears in the central Northwest Territories.
Ursus 11:79-86.
Abstract
Between May 1995 and September 1997, we
equipped 64 barren-ground grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) with satellite
radiocollars with an study area of 200,000 km2, centered 400 km
northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. We estimated annual ranges
of radiotracked animals ($38
locations/year) using the 95% fixed kernel technique with least squares
cross-validating to determine bandwidths. The mean annual range for adult
males was 6,685 km2 (SE=1,351, n = 19) was larger (P<0.001)
than for females (mean = 2,074 km2, SE=335, n = 35).
There was no difference (P=0.42) in the annual ranges among females
of differing family status. Seasonal rates of movement, calculated from
straight-line distances between successive locations, were higher for males
than for females (P<0.001). Both sexes decreased movement rates from
their highest rates in spring (males) and summer (females) to lowest rates
in autumn, which likely results from increases food availability as the year
progresses. Annual ranges presented here are the largest reported for
grizzly bears in North America. Low primary productivity on the barrens may
explain why the annual ranges of barren-ground grizzly bears are larger than
the ranges of other grizzly bear populations. |
