Study

Correlates of success for on-site releases of nuisance black bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  • Published source details Clark J.E., van Manen F.T. & Pelton M.R. (2002) Correlates of success for on-site releases of nuisance black bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 30, 104-111.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Scare or otherwise deter mammals from human-occupied areas to reduce human-wildlife conflict

Action Link
Terrestrial Mammal Conservation
  1. Scare or otherwise deter mammals from human-occupied areas to reduce human-wildlife conflict

    A study in 1990–1998 of a largely forested national park in North Carolina and Tennessee, USA (Clark et al. 2002) found that following capture and release back at capture sites, most black bears Ursus americanus did not subsequently repeat nuisance behaviour, such as entering picnic sites or campgrounds. For 50 out of 85 captures, bears were not subsequently sighted at capture locations during the remainder of that year. In four further cases, no management action was required that year, even if the bear was resighted at its capture location. In a 2,080-km2 national park, 63 bears exhibiting nuisance behaviour (such as raiding bins) were captured by live-trapping or darting. Bears were immobilised, individually marked and had a tooth extracted (for aging) before release, after recovery from anaesthesia, <150 m from their capture site.

    (Summarised by: Nick Littlewood)

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