Post on 29-Jan-2015
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POP QUIZ:POP QUIZ: Do these foods haveDo these foods haveanythinganything in common? in common?
25hamburgers
3 kgnuts
8 ½cheese pizzas
36 kgfruit
3 ½ kgsunflower seeds
NUISANCE BLACK BEARSNUISANCE BLACK BEARS
Meghann CantFebruary 25, 2008
OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES
• What are “nuisance” black bears?
• How are they created?
• What can be done about them?
A NUISANCE BEARA NUISANCE BEAR
• Comes into conflict with humans
• Usually food is involved
• Also called a “problem” bear
BECOMING A NUISANCE BEARBECOMING A NUISANCE BEAR
FOOD-CONDITIONINGFOOD-CONDITIONING
• An attraction to unnatural food sources
• Examples:– garbage– compost– pet food– bird feeders
HABITUATIONHABITUATION
• The toleration of a human presence
• Learns to ignore or even intimidate people to get food
DEALING WITH A NUISANCE BEARDEALING WITH A NUISANCE BEAR
AVERSIVE CONDITIONINGAVERSIVE CONDITIONING
• Chasing, scaring, or inflicting pain
• Effective for how long?
• Basically…
AVERSIVE CONDITIONINGAVERSIVE CONDITIONING
(McCarthy and Seavoy 1994)
TRANSLOCATIONTRANSLOCATION
• Sedated or trapped and released in a new location
• Ideal distance?
• Well…
It depends on the bear!(Hristienko and McDonald 2007)
TRANSLOCATIONTRANSLOCATION
(Landriault et al. 2006)
PROBLEMSPROBLEMS
• Effectiveness?
• Methodology?
• Alternatives?
ANY QUESTIONS?ANY QUESTIONS?
Photos courtesy of Verity Catt