UNDP/GEF
Conservation of Biodiversity on Kamchatka's 4 Protected Areas

Brown Bear Research in Kamchatka

 Kamchatka's Bears

WCS researcher Ivan Seryodkin listens for signals from radio-collared bears

Motivated by a concern for the welfare of Kamchatka bears, as well as the wild landscape in which they exist, the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has been working in Kamchatka for almost a decade. Local and International experts agree that threats to Kamchatka bears are escalating. While the animals still seem able to cope with such pressures as poorly regulated trophy hunting, poaching, and development, some biologists feel that the next decade will determine whether the Kamchatka bear population will be as abundant as in Alaska or as scarce as in the lower 48 United States. There is, unfortunately, a paucity of dependable information on the ecology of Kamchatka bears, such as the size of their territories, extent of their movements, importance of different habitat types and landscape features, or their food preferences. Without this basic, yet critical, information it is impossible to monitor the bear population, evaluate the effectiveness of protected areas, or develop sound management and conservation programs. WCS, in collaboration with local experts and institutions, is working toward acquiring the necessary data while there is still time to create an effective bear management regime in Kamchatka. But getting such data, while very important for management and conservation planning, is only part of the solution for ensuring that the bears of Kamchatka have a future. More importantly this data needs to be understood and used by local wildlife managers and administrators who ultimately will determine the fate of Kamchatka’s bear population. Some of the initiatives WCS is involved with in Kamchatka include:

Teeth from harvested bears are important tools that managers can use to monitor bear population trends. These teeth are from and old adult male.

Brown Bear Census
In 2004, WCS hosted an international workshop to develop a standardized method of bear census in Kamchatka. Local experts agreed that adopting an Alaska style aerial survey would help with improving the Kamchatka census and enhance long term population trend monitoring. WCS is working towards developing a pilot study to implement a new survey method in Kamchatka. WCS has also introduced other census methodologies to the region like using DNA from bear hair and tetracycline biomarkers to estimate bear populations.

Bear Education
WCS is proposing a comprehensive approach to raise local environmental awareness and disseminate existing information on Kamchatka bear ecology and conservation efforts throughout the Peninsula. The main thrust of this effort is the development of a Kamchatka Bear Education Program targeting local stakeholders – tourists, hunters, outfitters, indigenous peoples and local schools – throughout the Peninsula. The Program is based on locally-relevant information and WCS will work with local experts to develop a bear research compendium compiling the existing scientific knowledge about Kamchatka bears in order to make it available to a wider audience.

Habitat Use
WCS researchers have captured and marked 24 bears in the Kronotsky State Biosphere Preserve. The movements and habitat use of these bears has been monitored over several years and the data from these tagged animals will be used to validate a habitat map for the Reserve and eventually for all of Kamchatka. A comprehensive bear habitat map for Kamchatka will provide local managers with a powerful tool to identify critical areas and assess threats to the bear population.

Human Pressures on Bears
WCS is trying to assess potential threats to the bear population by mapping the extent and intensity of human use on the peninsula including new roads and resource extraction. Using Geographical Information Systems human use will then be overlayed on the bear habitat map to identify potential areas of conflict between man and bears. The resulting map will provide a focus for future conservation efforts.

DNA gathered from the roots of bear hair is being used to estimate population numbers.

Population Monitoring
In association with the Kamchatka Hunting Department, WCS scientists have established a mechanism to gather teeth and measurements from hunter harvested bears. These teeth can then be used to determine the age of the bears. Monitoring the age structure of the harvested population is an important tool for understanding trends in the bear population.

Bear Poaching
In 2002 WCS sent out 800 surveys to various individuals involved in bear hunting and guiding. Based on the results of these surveys researchers estimated that as many as 555 bears were killed illegally in a single year. The price of brown bear gall bladders has decreased in recent years which may reduce poaching pressure on bears.

Bear Salmon Interactions
Researchers have been monitoring bear salmon feeding activity on several rivers in Kamchatka. Preliminary results indicate that when salmon runs are low large adult males dominate feeding and fishing sites, excluding females with cubs. Access to salmon especially for females is very important for the survival of their cubs and their reproductive success. Some adult males can consume up 30 salmon in a single day.

For more information on the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Kamchatka Brown Bear Conservation program you can go to www.wcs.org or contact John Paczkowski via email at jpaczkowski@wcs.org