Trans Fatty Acids Provide Evidence of Anthropogenic Feeding by Black Bears

摘要: Bears (Ursus spp.) that become conditioned to anthropogenic food sources pose a risk human safety and generally need be relocated, rehabilitated, or destroyed. Identifying food-conditioned bears may difficult if the animal is not captured killed while immediately engaged in nuisance behavior. Fatty acid signature analysis has been used examine dietary habits of other carnivores based on predictable incorporation ingested fatty acids into consumer's fat stores. Unusual are available only few types particularly useful markers. In this study, we tested hypothesis trans present many processed foods could serve as markers foraging by black americanus). Among 13 were western central Colorado, more abundant conflict than non-conflict bears. Further, abundance bear appeared correlated with intensity bear-human conflict. We conclude trophic transfer can provide valuable insights ecological, demographic, factors contribute