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Related Experiment Video

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Consumption choice by bears feeding on salmon.

S M Gende1, T P Quinn2, M F Willson3

  • 1USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 2770 Sherwood Lane, Suite 2A, 99801, Juneau, AK, USA.

Oecologia
|May 27, 2017
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Summary

Bears like brown (Ursus arctos) and black bears (U. americanus) adjust their salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka, O. gorbuscha, O. keta) consumption based on availability. They eat more of each fish when salmon are scarce and target energy-rich parts when abundant.

Keywords:
Brown bearsForaging behaviorOncorhynchusSalmonUrsus

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Zoology
  • Wildlife Biology

Background:

  • Brown bears (Ursus arctos) and black bears (U. americanus) are apex predators in salmon ecosystems.
  • Salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are a critical food source, influencing bear foraging behavior.
  • Understanding selective feeding strategies is key to comprehending predator-prey dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate brown and black bear consumption patterns of salmon.
  • To determine how salmon availability and fish attributes influence bear feeding choices.
  • To analyze sex-specific differences in bear salmon consumption.

Main Methods:

  • Recorded consumption of over 20,000 bear-killed salmon (sockeye, pink, chum) from 1994-1999.
  • Analyzed data based on relative salmon availability and fish characteristics (spawning status, sex).
  • Quantified the proportion of each fish consumed and targeted body parts.

Main Results:

  • Bears consumed a greater proportion of each fish when salmon availability was low.
  • When salmon were abundant, bears selectively consumed energy-rich fish (non-spawned) or specific body parts (roe, brain).
  • Sex-specific targeting of body parts occurred (roe in females, flesh/brain/hump in males), with similar biomass consumed per fish when spawning status was controlled.

Conclusions:

  • Bears exhibit flexible foraging strategies to maximize energy intake from salmon.
  • Consumption patterns are dynamically adjusted based on salmon abundance and individual fish attributes.
  • These findings highlight the adaptive feeding behaviors of bears in response to resource availability.