Food Habits of Japanese Black Bear

FOOD HABITS OF JAPANESE BLACK BEAR EIKICHINOZAKI,1 Faculty of Agriculture,Tokyo University of Agricultureand Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan 183 SHIGERUAZUMA, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University,Inuyama, Aichi, Japan 484 TOSHIKIAOI,2 Faculty of Agriculture,Hokkaido University,Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan 060 HARUMITORII, Forestry ExperimentalStation, Hamakita,Shizuoka, Japan 434 TETSUROITO, Gifu College of Dentistry,Hozumi, Gifu, Japan 501-02 KISHIOMAEDA, Gifu College of Dentistry,Hozumi, Gifu, Japan 501-02

Abstract: The food habits of Japanese black bears (Selenarctos thibetanusjaponicus) were studied in the Neo Nishitani Valley, Gifu Prefecture,between 1973 and 1977. The bear live in the temperateforest zone where beech (Faguscrenata), Mongolian oak (Quercusmongolica var. grosserata),and Japanese white oak (Q. serrata) dominate. Their diet was composed mostly of plant matter throughout the year. During spring, bear ate nuts of beech and oaks which had fallen in the previous year, beech buds and shoots of herbaceousplants. During summer, bears ate a large quantityof animal matter such as ants and other insects, and much plant matter such as the fruits of Japanesecluster cherry (Prunusgrayana) and dogwood (Cornuscontroversa). Nuts of oaks and beech were consumed in large quantitiesduring fall. A census of the numbers of fruit trees with branches broken by bears revealed that the animals mainly used beech in 1973, Japanesewhite oak and Japanesechestnut (Castanea crenata)in 1974, chestnut and Mongolianoak in 1975, beech in 1976, and chestnut in 1977. In 1976, when few broken branches of beech tree were found, fallen beechnuts were eaten.

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The seasonal food habits and changes in habi- of the area is designated by the administration of tat utilization of Japanese black bears were stud- Gifu Prefectureas a Nature ConservationArea. ied from 1973 to 1977 in a naturaldeciduous for- The altitude ranges from 500 to 1600 m above est of the Querco-Fagetearegion, which is con- sea level. The topography is characterized by sidered to be the principalnatural habitat of the very steep mountainsides, the average slope be- species in Japan. The present study supplements ing 25?. other fragmentaryinformation on food habits re- Average annual precipitationis very high: 277 ported by Yamamoto (1973, 1974), Watanabe cm. In winter, there is heavy snowfall. Snow (1974), and Takada(1979). depth in January averages 150 cm. The first We express out heartfelt thanks to the resi- snow comes in early December. dents of Okawara Village, especially to Mr. Vegetation between 500 and 800 m above sea Satoshi Asano, for unfailing support and courte- level is composed of artificialplantations of Jap- sy; and to members of the Crescent Bear Re- anese cryptomeria (C/yptomeria japonica), Japan- search Group, Brown Bear Research Group ese white ceder (Chamaecyparis obtusa and C. (Sapporo), and Natural History Society, for assis- pisilfra), and Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis), as tance in field work under severe field conditions. well as the secondary deciduous forest used for Thanks are also due to the staff of the Nature the production of firewood and charcoal. The Conservation Section, Gifu Prefecture, and the latter type of vegetation is dominatedby Japanese Gifu Forestry Station. The research was partly white oak, Japanesechestnut, dogwood, and Jap- supportedby a grant from Gifu Prefecture (Envi- anese cluster cherry. The rest of the study area is ronmentalDepartment), 1973-1975. a virgin deciduous forest dominated by beech, Mongolian oak, and maples (Acer spp.). Sasa STUDY AREA (Sasa kurilensis) is dominant on ridges, and natu- The area, which is roughly 30 km2 in size, is ral Chamiaecyparisforest with Rhodedendron located at the foothills of Mt. Nogo-hakusan on shrubs occurs at lower elevations. Sasa is found the borderof Gifu and Fukui Prefectures. A part in grassland, interspersed with stunted birches (Betula ermani) on the summit of Nogo-hakusan. in the area ' The populationof black bears study Present address: Hakusan Nature Conservation Center, was estimated from observationand field signs at Chugu Yoshinodani, Ishikawa, Japan 920-24. 8 animals (0.19-0.29 bears/km2) (Azuma and 2 Present address: Teshio Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University, Horonobe, Teshio, Hokkaido, Japan 098-29. Torii 1980). Bear hunting on a limited scale

106 JAPANESEBEAR FOOD HABITS * Nozaki et al. 107

Table 1. Seasonal changes in the diet of Japanese black Table 2. Seasonal changes in the diet of Japanese black bears, as suggested by percent point-contact values of food bears, as suggested by the percent dry weight of food remnants remnants in fecal samples. in fecal samples.

1973 1974 1973 1974 Oct- Food item fall Apr May Jul Aug Nov Fall Spring Summer Fall Food item (9a) (19) (3) (1) (3) (22) Plant matter Plantmatter Quercusspp.(nuts) 35.7 23.2 20.0 29.6 Faguscrenata(nuts) 22.40 6.50 Faguscrenata(nuts) 14.3 8.7 20.0 (buds) 15.75 (buds) 20.3 60.0 Acorns 77.36 77.54 87.33 Castaneacrenata(scales) 4.2 Berries 19.81 11.11 Evodiopanaxinnovans(fruits) 8.5 Other fruitsand seeds 0.01 Vitispicifolia(fruits) 11.3 Herbs 0.07 19.48 Vitiscoignetiae(fruits) 1.4 Leaves, buds, and barkof trees 0.01 0.02 0.04 0.37 Cornuscontroversa(fruits) 1.4 Mosses and lichens 0.02 0.10 1.14 0.01 Viburnumfurcatum(fruits) 6.3 Total 99.88 99.96 40.48 98.84 Prunusgrayana(fruits) 18.8 Animalmatter 0.37 0.04 Compositaespp. (stems) 2.9 16.7 Othermaterial Carexspp. (seeds) 1.4 Wood, fragments 0.07 0.03 5.62 0.55 Tripetaleiapaniculata(capsules) 1.4 Stones and sands 0.01 53.51 0.49 Carpinusjaponica(seeds) 1.4 6.3 Others 0.02 0.02 Acerspp.(seeds and petioles) 1.4 1.4 Total 0.11 0.03 59.13 1.06 Sasa curilensis(shoots) 16.7 6.3 Parthenocissustricucpidata(stems) 16.7 Totalgrams fecal remnants 178.98 278.91 67.38 398.85 Chamaecyparisobtusa (leaves) 4.3 16.7 2.8 Numberof scats analyzed 9 22 4 22 Cryptomeriajaponica(leaves) 1.4 Mosses, lichens, dead leaves, and unident. veg. 28.6 21.7 16.7 25.0 23.9 indicatorsof Broken brancheswere Barkand twigs 7.1 4.3 5.6 activity. easy Woodfragments 14.3 4.3 12.5 2.8 to locate from a distance, and the tree species Total 100.0 95.3 100.0 83.3 75.2 94.3 Animal matter climbed seasonally by bears seemed to be those Lucanidae 1.4 used seasonallyas food by bears. Vespaxanthoptera 1.4 4.2 Formicidae 1.4 12.5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Other insects 16.7 12.5 1.4 Total 4.2 16.7 25.0 5.6 Scoreof food residue 14 69 5 6 16 71 Scat Analyses a Numberof scats in sample. Fifty-seven scats were analyzedto obtain infor- mation about food habits (Tables 1 and 2). occurs during the hunting season, and control Plant Matter.-Plant matter was present in all kills occur in the adjacent area outside of the samples during all months in which bears were hunting season. active (April through December). Acorns were found in scats in April, May, October, and METHODS November. Collection of bear scats and observation of Scat samples during spring (April and May) feeding and other activities were from November contained remnants of 12 plant items (Table 1). 1973 through November 1977. Fifty-seven scats Nuts of beech and Mongolian oak amounted to obtained in 1973 and 1974 were used in the pres- 84% and buds of beech to 16%of the dry weight ent analysis. Scats were collected opportunistical- of fecal remnantsduring spring (Table 2). ly when encountered and were frozen or placed Only 4 scat samples could be obtained during in alcohol for preservation. To process for identi- summer (July and August). These contained fication of food items, we softened the samples remnants of 9 species of plants; seeds of Japan- in water, then separatedthe materialinto homog- ese cluster cherry and Viburnumfurcatum, shoots enous groups by use of sieves. Plants were iden- of Sasa, and stems of Parthenicissus(vines) were tified to species through macroscopicand micro- the most commonly represented. The proportion scopic examination. Reference collections were of plant matter in the feces was lower in the gatheredat the study area. summer than in other seasons. Survey routes evenly distributed throughout Twelve types of plant matter were found in the study area were used to sample bear activity. scats collected during fall (September, October, Broken branches seemed to be one of the best and November). Nuts of oaks, beeches, and 108 JAPANESEBEAR FOOD HABITS * Nozaki et al.

Table 3. Frequency of occurrence of plants eaten by Japanese Table 4. Annual fluctuation of numbers of the trees on which black bears, based on sign and feeding observation, "enza" had been formed by Japanese black bears in fall. 1973-1977.

Years Food item Spring Summer Fall Trees 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 All years Faguscrenata 30 0 0 4 0 34 Faguscrenata(buds) 8 Quercusmongolica 6 0 16 0 2 24 Cryptomeriajaponica (bark) 2 Quercusserrata 1 82 4 0 1 88 Magnoliaobovata(barks) 2 Castaneacrenata 0 24 25 0 18 67 Symplocarpus.oetidus(stems) 2 Prunusgrayana 0 3 12 0 6 21 Magnoliakobus(flowers) 1 Evodiopanaxinnovans 0 4 0 0 0 4 Cirsiumpurpuratum (leaves) 1 Sorbusainifolia 0 1 0 0 0 1 Urticathunbergiana(shoots) 1 Cornuskousa 0 1 0 0 0 1 Angelicapubescens(shoots) 1 Prunusgrayana(fruits) 3 21 Total 37 115 57 4 27 240 Cardiocrinumcordatum(shoots) 2 Rubusspp. (berries) 2 Rubusparvijolius(berries) 1 Anthriscussylvestris(stems) 1 Pestasitesjaponicus(leaves) I Cornuscontro versa(fruits) 1 Signs of feeding activity by bears during fall Pilea hamanoi(stems) 1 were Faguscrenata(nuts) 34 mainly associated with eating fruits. Typi- Quercusmongolica(acorn) 24 cally such signs consisted fo structures (colloqui- Quercusserrata(acorn) 88 known as Castaneacrenata(nuts) 67 ally "enza") resembling bird nests Evodiopanaxinnovans(fruits) 4 hanging from the trees. These were formed by Sorbusalni/olia(fruits) 1 and branches broken Cornuskousa(fruits) 1 twigs during feeding activities. Total 18 12 240 The species of trees on which "enza" were found were the nut-bearing species such as and chestnuts, and numerous fruits were especially beech, Mongolian oak, Japanese white oak, and important. Nuts of oaks and beeches comprised those producing berries including Japanese cluster Sorbus 87% of all plant matter present in the fall samples cherry, alni/blia, Evodiopanax (Table 2). innovans and dogwood. No other indirect signs Animal Matter-Animal matter was found in of feeding were found during fall. The number of trees on which all 3 seasons. Insects were present in all samples. we found new "enza" in fall were 37 trees in 115 trees in Ants were found in scats collected in spring and 1973, 57 trees in 4 trees in and 27 summer, and the wasp (Vespa xanthoptera) in 1974, 1975, 1976, trees in 1977. The of with spring and fall. Animal matter was the most species trees newly formed "enza" in fall common during summer (Table 2). changed annually; beech, Minerals- Mineral substances were found in Mongolian oak, and Japanese white oak in 1973, the summer and fall (Table 2). It was most Japanese white oak and Japanese chestnut, Japan- ese cluster Sorbus abundant during summer and was apparently de- cherry, Evodiopanax innovans, rived from the nest material of ant colonies. alni/blia and Cornius cousa in 1974, Japanese chestnut, Mongolian oak, Japanese cluster cherry, Observations of Feeding and Japanese white oak in 1975, beech in 1976, Variations in the seasonal food habits of Japan- and Japanese chestnut, Japanese cluster cherry, ese black bears as suggested by direct observa- Mongolian oak, and Japanese white oak in 1977 tions and indirect signs of feeding are summa- (Table 4). In 1976, although beeches had the rized in Table 3. richest crops of this study period, few broken Bears were observed on 8 occasions foraging branches of beech trees were found. The animals on buds of beeches during spring. In addition, fed on the fallen beechnuts without forming new leaves, stems, and shoots of Sytplocarpus, "enza". These annual fluctuations in trees on Cirsium, Urtica, and Antgelica were eaten. which the "enza" had been formed in fall, Ant nests were destroyed by bears most often seemed correlated with variations in crop pro- during summer, and berries of Japanese cluster duction. Unfortunately we have no precise data cherry and several species of Rubus were also ob- on annual mast production to verify this served as being consumed during this season. relationship. JAPANESEBEAR FOOD HABITS * Nozakiet al. 109

Japanese black bears studied at the Neo LITERATURECITED Nishitani Valley have been considered to have omnivorous food habits, but in the present inves- AZUMA,S., AND H. TORII. 1980. Impact of human activities on survival of the black bear. Int. tigation bears were found to be almost exclusive- Japanese Conf. Bear Res. and Manage. 4:71 -91. ly vegetarian, with the exception that remains of NOZAKI,E., T. HAZUMI,AND N. MARUYAMA.1982. Food ants (Formica sp.) were conspicuous in the sum- habits of Japanese black bear in Omote-Nikko, Japan. J. mer diet. Mammal. Soc. Jap. (in press) Plant materials eaten varied with the seasons. TAKADA,Y. 1979. The foods habits of the Japanese black Foods during spring consisted of fallen acorns bear in the Central mountains area, Nagano Prefecture. from the crop of the previous fall, and new J. Mammal. Soc. Jap. 8:40-53 (In Japanese with English sprouts and shoots of herbs and woody plants; abstract.) WATANABE,H. 1974. black bear. foods in summer included ants, wasps and other Japanese (Tsukinowa- Guma no Hanashi) NHK Junior Books. 214 insects, berries, and kernels of Prunus pp. (In Jap- grayana; anese.) foods in fall included acorns and nuts of several YAMAMOTO,N. 1973. The foods habits of Japanese black species of Fagaceae. bear-in Hakusan Mountains and elsewhere. Pages Other studies have suggested carnivory by this 45 - 59 in Annual Report of Natural Resources Survey in species; for example, on hares (Lepus brach- Hakusan Mts, 1972. Ishikawa Prefecture. (In Japanese.) yurus) and Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) . 1974. Caloric consideration of food of Japanese in Nagano Prefecture (Takada 1979), and on sika black bear Selenarctosthibetanus japonicus. Jap. J. Ecol. 24:30 - 34 deer (Cervus nippon) in Tochigi Prefecture (In Japanese with English abstract.) (Nozaki et al. 1982). No instances of predation or feeding on carcasses were recorded in the present study.