STATUS OF A REINTRODUCED BLACK BEAR POPULATION IN THE BIG SOUTH FORK AREA OF KENTUCKY

摘要: OF THESIS STATUS A REINTRODUCED BLACK BEAR POPULATION IN THE BIG SOUTH FORK AREA KENTUCKY Large carnivores have been subjected to overexploitation and extensive habitat loss for centuries. Reintroduction has become an increasingly used tool recovering reestablishing large carnivore populations; however, most reintroductions either failed or resulted in small populations that are vulnerable deleterious demographic, environmental, genetic effects can lead population extinction. Longterm monitoring of small, reintroduced is critical persistence viability. To evaluate long-term reintroduction success current status a recently reintroduced, black bear (Ursus americanus) the Big South Fork area Kentucky, I non-invasive hair sampling systematic, closedpopulation capture-mark-recapture study design. ≥ 20 microsatellite loci identify individual bear, quantify diversity, investigate relatedness, estimate abundance density, patterns range expansion. The comprised closely-related individuals, (N = 40; 95% CI: 30-113), low density (0.03 bear/km), experienced minimal expansion, exhibits decreased diversity (HE 0.698). Because prolonged isolation from nearby subpopulations, remains requires immediate continued monitoring.