Density and distribution of a brown bear (Ursus arctos) population within the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot

摘要: Population declines and extirpations of large mammalian carnivores are major concerns for global biodiversity conservation. Many vulnerable to conflict with humans attract conservation attention their flagship appeal ecological importance. Coexisting requires an understanding carnivore distribution abundance relative human activities disturbances. Such knowledge is often hindered by the rare elusive nature lack systematic surveys in biodiverse regions facing high levels threat. The Caucasus Ecoregion one such hotspot harboring several threatened mammal species which there a paucity reliable data, including brown bears (Ursus arctos). bear populations have declined significantly from historical times may be isolated disturbance development as mining, well increasing hunting pressure. To inform land-use planning Ecoregion, we conducted May–October 2015 foothills Mountains within Vayots Dzor region Armenia. We used noninvasive genetic sampling, camera trapping, statistical models that account imperfect detection estimate density population 1,000-km2 study area. Across 34 sampling sites, obtained 3,163 camera-trap photos genotyped 28 individual (7 males 21 females). Spatially explicit capture-recapture revealed unexpectedly (59.4/1,000 km2; females = 44.6, 95% confidence interval, CI 25.4–78.4; 14.8, 6.6–34.0), multi-method occupancy indicated were distributed across most area (ψ 0.85; SE 0.07). These results provide robust evidence significant persists Armenia's region, despite history habitat loss driven throughout much Ecoregion. Continued persistence this poaching, other anthropogenic pressures underscoring urgent need strategic planning, impact mitigation, expanded monitoring hotspot.