Dispersal of male bears into peripheral habitats inferred from mtDNA haplotypes

摘要: Abstract Crop depredation by brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Hokkaido, Japan, has increased over the past 2 decades. With depredation, number of permits issued and removal conflict animals have also increased. We hypothesized that peripheral areas adjacent to agricultural lands represent attractive sink-like habitat because association between abundant high-quality anthropogenic food resources high levels human-induced mortality nuisance control. used an allopatric distribution mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes females distinguish core from habitat; control for female was 2× greater periphery. Using these definitions, we investigated 85 male mtDNA recovered dead eastern Hokkaido (1996–2008) classified birthplace 64. Of these, 14 31 born were killed periphery, whereas 5 33 periphery died core. In largest proportion males occurred dur...