Terrain use by an expanding brown bear population in relation to age, recreational resorts and human settlements

摘要: Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are threatened by habitat loss, fragmentation infrastructure and human settlements, have been hunted to local extinction in large areas of their former range. We analyzed the use during non denning period 106 radio-collared an expanding bear population Sweden relation resorts towns, terrain ruggedness, sex age bears. Bear increased substantially with increasing distance towns for comparable types, also independent scat surveys using DNA-analyses. More than 74% all female locations were 29% classified as ‘‘rugged’’ located >10 km from any town or resort, whereas similar closer was avoided. Bears larger settlements ( 7 years), remaining 92% beyond 10 major settlements. Recreational developing rapidly, typically near national parks, may thus limit expansion fragment existing habitats. Together active conservation, safeguarding undeveloped corridors forest rugged be important successful recolonization brown into its original