Abnormal Sexual Differentiation in Black Bears (Ursus americanus) and Brown Bears (Ursus arctos)

1988 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 849-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Cattet
2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael O’Neal Campbell

Abstract In British Columbia, brown bears (Ursus arctos), black bears (Ursus americanus), and cougars (Puma concolor) must relate to growing human populations. This study examines age- and gender-related attitudes to these animals in the urbanizing, agriculturally significant, intermontane city of Kamloops. Most respondents, especially women, feared cougars and bears, saw bears as more troublesome than cougars, and were concerned for child and adult safety. More middle-aged and older participants perceived brown bears as dangerous to companion animals, and black bears as troublesome, than did younger participants, and more middle-aged participants perceived brown bears as troublesome than did younger and older participants. Opinions favored trapping and removal of animals rather than shooting or toleration, but more younger participants opted for shooting, whereas more middle-aged and older participants opted for toleration and removal. Majorities agreed that the animals serve useful functions, women more than men for cougars, middle-aged more than old or young for bears, but saw only cougars as increasing their quality of life. These findings contribute to knowledge about human-wildlife relations, an important first step toward more efficient local and more general conservation policy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 20180681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Fuchs ◽  
Koji Yamazaki ◽  
Alina L. Evans ◽  
Toshio Tsubota ◽  
Shinsuke Koike ◽  
...  

Hyperphagia is a critical part of the yearly cycle of bears when they gain fat reserves before entering hibernation. We used heart rate as a proxy to compare the metabolic rate between the Asian black bear ( Ursus thibetanus ) in Japan and the Eurasian brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) in Sweden from summer into hibernation. In the hyperphagic period, black bears feed on fat- and carbohydrate-rich hard masts whereas brown bears feed on sugar-rich berries. Availability of hard masts has quantitative and spatial annual fluctuations, which might require increased activity and result in intraspecific stress. Using generalized additive mixed models we analysed the differences in heart rate between the two species. Black bears had decreased heart rates during summer but had doubled heart rate values throughout the hyperphagic period compared to brown bears. This letter illustrates the different physiological consequences of seasonal differences in food availability in two species of the same genus dealing with the same phenological challenge.


1987 ◽  
Vol 33 (11) ◽  
pp. 949-954 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Goatcher ◽  
M. W. Barrett ◽  
R. N. Coleman ◽  
A. W. L. Hawley ◽  
A. A. Qureshi

Swab specimens were obtained from nasal, rectal, and preputial or vaginal areas of 37 grizzly and 17 black bears, captured during May to June of 1981 to 1983, to determine the types and frequency of predominant aerobic microflora. Bacterial genera most frequently isolated from bears were Escherichia, Citrobacter, Hafnia, Proteus, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus species, comprising about 65% of the isolates. Erwinia, Xanthomonas, Agrobacterium, Rhizobium, and Gluconobacter/Acetobacter were also isolated but at lower frequencies (< 5%). Comparison of bacterial generic composition using similarity quotient values showed no appreciable differences between grizzly and black bear flora. Also, no outstanding differences in bacterial generic composition were observed among grizzly bear samples; however, differences were noted among black bear samples. Fungal genera most commonly encountered included Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Sporobolomyces, and Candida. In general, the microflora of both bear types were marked by generic diversity and random distribution. The majority of microorganisms isolated from the plant samples in the study area were also found in bear samples. This observation and the presence of certain water and soil bacteria in samples from bears suggest that the predominant microflora of both grizzly and black bears were transient and probably influenced by their foraging habits and surrounding environments.


1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 2985-2992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew A. Cronin ◽  
Steven C. Amstrup ◽  
Gerald W. Garner ◽  
Ernest R. Vyse

We assessed mitochondrial DNA variation in North American black bears (Ursus americanus), brown bears (Ursus arctos), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Divergent mitochondrial DNA haplotypes (0.05 base substitutions per nucleotide) were identified in populations of black bears from Montana and Oregon. In contrast, very similar haplotypes occur in black bears across North America. This discordance of haplotype phylogeny and geographic distribution indicates that there has been maintenance of polymorphism and considerable gene flow throughout the history of the species. Intraspecific mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence in brown bears and polar bears is lower than in black bears. The two morphological forms of U. arctos, grizzly and coastal brown bears, are not in distinct mtDNA lineages. Interspecific comparisons indicate that brown bears and polar bears share similar mitochondrial DNA (0.023 base substitutions per nucleotide) which is quite divergent (0.078 base substitutions per nucleotide) from that of black bears. High mitochondrial DNA divergence within black bears and paraphyletic relationships of brown and polar bear mitochondrial DNA indicate that intraspecific variation across species' ranges should be considered in phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA.


1972 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Pearson ◽  
D. W. Halloran

Blood samples from 22 brown bears (Ursus arctos) and 5 black bears (Ursus americanus) were examined for erythrocyte count, erythrocyte morphology, erythrocyte diameter, hematocrit, hemoglobin, erythrocyte indices, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, leucocyte count, and leucocyte differential count.A statistically significant decrease in erythrocyte count and hematocrit and increase in erythrocyte indices was found in brown bears from spring to summer. Limited evidence suggests that the spring to summer change may be reversed in the fall.No differences were apparent between sexes at any season but it was indicated that young bears had lower red blood cell concentration, lower hematocrit, and lower hemoglobin concentration than other animals.Leucocyte differential counts in the study were similar to those reported for other bears. Anisocytosis with numerous spherocytes and burr cells characterized the erythrocytes.Serum iron and total iron-binding capacity varied but did not suggest iron-deficiency anemia.Hematology results for the black bears were similar to those of brown bears but our small sample did not allow an investigation of seasonal changes in the species.


2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (8) ◽  
pp. 1317-1322 ◽  
Author(s):  
D R Klinka ◽  
T E Reimchen

Brown bears (Ursus arctos) have been reported to be primarily diurnal throughout their range in North America. Recent studies of black bears during salmon migration indicate high levels of nocturnal foraging with high capture efficiencies during darkness. We investigated the extent of nocturnal foraging by brown bears during a salmon spawning migration at Knight Inlet in coastal British Columbia, using night-vision goggles. Adult brown bears were observed foraging equally during daylight and darkness, while adult females with cubs, as well as subadults, were most prevalent during daylight and twilight but uncommon during darkness. We observed a marginal trend of increased capture efficiency with reduced light levels (day, 20%; night, 36%) that was probably due to the reduced evasive behaviour of the salmon. Capture rates averaged 3.9 fish/h and differed among photic regimes (daylight, 2.1 fish/h; twilight, 4.3 fish/h; darkness, 8.3 fish/h). These results indicate that brown bears are highly successful during nocturnal foraging and exploit this period during spawning migration to maximize their consumption rates of an ephemeral resource.


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