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

摘要

Since 1990, wildlife biologists in Great Smoky Mountains National Park have used capture and on-site release as a management technique to reduce recurrence of nuisance activity by black bears (Ursus americanus). On-site release involves Capture and immobilization of bears that frequent developed areas, collection of biological data, and subsequent release of the animals in the area of capture. Our objective was to identify factors related to success of this technique. We classified 85 on-site releases of black bears as successes or failures based on post-release observations and Subsequent management actions at the release site. We examined 11 variables for their associations with release success. Important variables associated with success of on-site releases were sex, presence of young, type of developed area where capture occurred, time of day that the bear was active in developed areas, and bear population abundance. Given various scenarios of nuisance bear activity, biologists can use our findings to determine when on-site release is appropriate.