| Terrestrial and Marine Food Web Use by Black Bears on Vancouver Island |
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| Investigators |
| Debbie Jenkins (M.Sc. candidate), Biology Department, Trent University
Dr. Dan Smith, Department of Geography, University of Victoria
Grant MacHutchon, Wildlife Biologist
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What is the Issue? |
| EFFECTS OF DISTURBANCE ON CRITICAL FOOD SOURCES |
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Previous research indicates that black bears may provide an important link between the aquatic and terrestrial environment through distribution of marine nutrients to the coastal forests of British Columbia. This study is undertaken to investigate the feeding habits of coastal black bears in both disturbed and undisturbed watersheds in order to determine feeding ecology and to provide information important to the management of black bear habitats. Results are expected to demonstrate that salmon and other marine forage are a significant dietary component of coastal black bears, particularly in undisturbed watersheds where human activity is not responsible for displacing wildlife from prime foraging habitat.
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What is our goal? |
| IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF BLACK BEAR FEED HABITS, CONSERVATION ON BLACK BEAR HABITATS.
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| Use of terrestrial and marine food webs by Black Bears in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and the surrounding watersheds of Clayoquot Sound. |
Where we currently stand. |
| Over 1800 black bear hair samples were collected from Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and the surrounding watersheds of Clayoquot Sound in 1997 and 1998. To date, a subsample representing 96 individual black bears has been analyzed through stable-isotope analysis in the lab. In 2000, field collections of local vegetation, intertidal species, salmon and herbivore hair were also analyzed, establishing background isotope signatures for the area. Preliminary results indicate that half of the bears examined consumed marine food items. From 14.5% to 83.1% of their diet was marine derived. Bears living in particular watersheds had significantly different dietary preferences. Salmon escapement estimates do not always correspond to bear use of marine food items, suggesting that travel between watersheds and access to intertidal species may be important.
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You can help this project - find out how. |
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