Sexual dimorphism and the mating ecology of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) at Svalbard

摘要: We assessed the role of size, mass, and age in mating non-mating polar bears (Ursus maritimus) at Svalbard, Norway, during spring breeding season. The ratio male to female male-female pairs, ranged from 1.00 3.02 (\( \overline x = 1.99 \)) indicating that males were larger than females but with substantial variation. Paired older unpaired mass was related age. However, paired not significantly different body those caught alone. Wounds scars resulting fights between began about 6 years peaked 17 20 age, respectively. frequency broken canines males, presumably due increased male-male conflicts, showed little increase females. wide range size pairs age-related signs injury suggest engage both scramble competition contest for access system is variable best described as defense polygyny or serial monogamy.