Factors affecting settling, survival, and viability of black bears reintroduced to Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas

• Published in: Wildlife Society bulletin 2005-12, Vol.33 (4), p.1363-1374
• Main Authors: Wear, Brandon J., Eastridge, Rick, Clark, Joseph D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal populations; ARKANSAS BEAR REINTRODUCTION; Bear Management and Research; Bears; black bear; Black bears; Felsenthal; Homing; Mortality; Poaching; Population estimates; Population growth; population model; Population size; reintroduction; Statistical variance; Survival analysis; Ursus americanus; White River; Wildlife conservation; Wildlife ecology; Wildlife management; Wildlife refuges
• ISSN: 0091-7648; 1938-5463
• DOI: 10.2193/0091-7648(2005)33[1363:FASSAV]2.0.CO;2

We used radiotelemetry and population modeling techniques to examine factors related to population establishment of black bears (Ursus americanus) reintroduced to Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Arkansas. Our objectives were to determine whether settling (i.e., establishment of a home range at or near the release site), survival, recruitment, and population viability were related to age class of reintroduced bears, presence of cubs, time since release, or number of translocated animals. We removed 23 adult female black bears with 56 cubs from their winter dens at White River NWR and transported them 160 km to man-made den structures at Felsenthal NWR during spring 2000–2002. Total movement and average circuity of adult females decreased from 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year post-emergence (F2, 14 =19.7, P 1-year post-release increased to 0.909 (SE=0.097, SEinterannual=0.067; Z=3.5, P