Grizzly Bear Conservation in Southwest BC Dr. Bruce McLellan - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Grizzly Bear Conservation in Southwest BC Dr. Bruce McLellan Redlist Authority IUCN Bear Specialist Group

Bear Specialist Group Conservation-related issues regarding 7 species of “terrestrial” bears 190 members 61 range countries and former range countries (missing 6 range countries)

110,000 24,000 58,000

Asia

Russia/Kazakhstan 110,000 bears Gobi Tian Shan Mts 27 - 45 < 1000 CR Karakoram Pamir VU 1000 – 1500 VU Hindu Kush 15 - 30 CR Himalaya Western China 130 – 220 6300 bears EN

Caucasus 1500 bears Kure Mts 400 <50 West Anatolia 300 < 20 West Toros East Anatolia 100 3000 bears 20 <50 25 0 Toros 100 Elburz 1300 bear Zagros 100 bears

Scandinavian 3,400 Baltic 710 Carpathian 8,100 Alps 45 Cantabrian 200 Dinaric/Pindos 3,000 East Balkans 610 Pyrenean 25 Abruzzo 45

Kodiak LC ABC Islands LC South Selkirks, Cabinet Coast Mts Yahk 2 EN & VU 3 CR Yellowstone VU

South Chilcotin > 220 Hat Ck < 10 Stein Nahatlatch 18-22 bears Cascade Mountains Garibaldi < 10 Pitt < 10

South Chilcotin Lillooet Stein/Nahatlatch Mt. Currie

Local Grizzly Population Trends 25 Density (Bears/1000km 2 ) Southern Chilcotin 20 15 10 Stein 5 Nahatlach 0 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Some vital rate comparisons Stein Nahatlatch South Chilcotin • 17 F, 10 M collared, 0 died • 9 F, 8 M collared, 4 died (3 natural deaths) • Cub litter size 2.4 • Cub litter size 2.0 • Cub survival 1.0 • Cub survival 0.3 • 2 yr-old recruit 0.21 • 2 yr-old recruit 0.13 • DNA recruitment 0.26 • DNA recruitment 0.12 • mass Ad F, spring 111 kg • mass Ad F, spring 97 kg • He 0.58 • He 0.49

Human caused mortality Attractants – indirect safety

Ungulate hunter caused mortality Self defence At camps Increases with road access.

Local grizzly food

Southern Chilcotin Diet 100% 80% 60% Stein/Nahatlatch Diet 40% 20% WB Pine 100% 0% Meat 80% Herb 60% Berry 40% 20% 0%

Body fat by month 50 AVERAGE BODY FAT (%) 40 30 20 10 0 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct MONTH OF YEAR

3 2.5 Cubs/Parous Female 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 1 2 3 4 5 Previous Year Huckleberry Index

Spring-Early Summer Similar in both areas

Late Summer - Fall MORE IN SOUTH CHILCOTIN THAN STEIN NAHATLATCH

Dispersal Distance from mother’s home range

1 M South Chilcotin 4 M Pemberton Stein Nahatlatch

Other Barriers to connectivity • Recreation /displacement? #Hashtag

Needed for Recovery of all Isolated Populations • Immigration of females by making fractures safe for bears to live in. • Move bears.

Thank you