Food habits of the Asiatic black bear Ursus thibetanus japonicus in the northern Ohu Mountains， Japan

摘要

We investigated the food habits of Asiatic black bears of the northern Ohu Mountains in Japan. From May to December in 2004, we collected a total of 114 scats-27 from Morioka City and 87 from Shizukuishi Town. The percent importance value of eachfood item was estimated on the basis of the frequency of its occurrence and the total volume of all food items (Mealey, 1980). The primary food items consumed by the bears in spring were beech (Fagus crenata) shoot and dwarf bamboo (Sasa sp.), while the items consumed in summer were soft masts, animal materials, and succulent forbs [especially parsley (Umbelliferae sp.) ]. However, in the month of August, the bears concentrated on eating crops. The primary food items in autumn were acorns (Fagaceae sp.). With the passage of each season, there was a distinct change not only in the bearu27s diet but also in its foraging area, for example, beech forests in spring, the vicinity of streams and fields in summer, and broadleaved forests in autumn. Therefore, the preservation of their natural habitats may be essential for ensuring their coexistence with humans.