Perceived risk, displacement and refuging in brown bears:positive impacts of ecotourism?

摘要: Abstract Ecotourism is a rapidly growing industry with unknown impacts on viewed wildlife that may require novel management action. We examined the impact of viewing activities behaviour brown bears ( Ursus arctos ) in coastal British Columbia. Domination best feeding sites and human avoidance by large male has consistently been reported. We, however, saw displacement time rather than space – during day males were less active at other times, while females cubs tended to be more active. In each year, spent similarly high proportions their fishing when people present. years activity, was absent. When freed from potential threat bears, showed no measurable controlled activity. Human presence site but not as expected. Temporal activity observed; indications they departed upon satiation, before arrival morning tours, suggests there little energetic impact. By displacing males, created temporal refuge, enhancing opportunities for subordinate age/sex classes. With strong positive relationships between mean female mass litter size, this turn increase population productivity.