1st Page. Habitat requirements and preferences
1. Habitat requirements and preferences
All brown bear habitat is characterised by
extensive timber cover as well as open grasslands
and meadows (Ball 1980, Knight 1980, Schneegas
& Frounfelker 1980, Banner et al 1985,
Hamilton & Archibald 1985, Martinka &
Kendall 1985). Brown bear populations can
thrive in open areas, as they do in the less
settled portions of Alaska and Canada (Banfield
1958). Roth (1983) mentions that in the Italian
Alps one main factor determining the shape
of the ranges seems to be the distribution
of good cover. Most brown bears' movements
could be made without leaving dense forests.
Bears usually used a different daybed each
day. Most daybeds used by brown bears are
found in timber stands, even in areas where
bears are commonly observed foraging in the
open. Although the species apparently has
no real need for extensive timber cover,
populations living relatively close to settled
areas may require such refuges (Clevenger,
Purroy & Pelton 1992). Although areas
occupied by European brown bear populations
may contain large clearings, few bears are
observed in them at any one time.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ball, R.E. (1980) Time lapse cameras as an
aid in studying grizzly bears in northwest
Wyoming. Bears-Their biology and management.
(Eds. C.J. Martinka, K.L. McArthur). Bear
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Banfield, A.W.F., (1958) Distribution of
the barren ground grizzly bear in northern
Canada. National Museum of Canada, Bulletin
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Banner, A., Pojar, J., Trowbridge. R. &
Hamilton, A. (1985) Grizzly bear habitat
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Knight, R.R. (1980) Biological considerations
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Martinka, C.J. & Kendall, K.C. (1985)
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Roth, H.U. (1983) Home ranges and movement
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Schneegas, E.R. & Frounfelker, C.R. (1980)
Critical habitat and other resource programs
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