International Bear News Quarterly Newsletter of the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) and the IUCN/SSC Bear Specialist Group February 2004 vol. 13, no. 1 In memory of Vitaly Nikolaenko: his photograph of the Kamchatka brown bear he named Dobrynya (see pages 5, 6-7). IBA website: www.bearbiology.org/www.bearbiology.com Table of Contents Council News 3 From the President 5 IBA Grants Program, Newsletter 6 In Memory: Vitaly Nikolaenko Eurasia 8 “Even” and “Uneven” Families in Yar Population of Brown Bear 9 Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) Reproductive Success in Yakutia 10 China: Asiatic Black Bear 11 Sloth Bear Project in Sri Lanka 13 Sri Lanka Sloth Bear Expert Team Report Americas 14 Alaska: Tetracycline Biomarking Project on Kuiu Island, Southeast Alaska 15 Bear Habituation Conference 16 Whistler Bear Group Bans Rubber Slugs 17 Rubber Slug Use in Prudhoe Oilfield 18 Nature Conservancy of Canada and Tembec to Conserve Elk Valley North Cascades Grizzly Sighting Confirmed 19 North Cascades Ecosystem Residents Respond to Grizzly Bear Survey 20 Ontario Takes Action on Nuisance Bears Wyoming 2004 Memorial Bear Fund Grants New Jersey Bear Hunt 21 Southwest USA: New Mexico — Hunt Changes, Research, 9th Western Black Bear Workshop Southeast USA: Florida 22 Southeast USA: Joint Undercover Operation Links International Black Market to Virginia Student Forum 23 Student List Serve (Truman), Why Am I Doing This? Opportunity 24 Volunteers Needed for Grizzly and American Black Bear Habitat Research Bears in Culture 25 Hunting for Common Ground Communications 27 RISKMAN Population Model Freeware Educational Posters for Grizzly and American Black Bear Panda Cub on Web International Studbook for the Andean Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) 2000-2002 Events 28 Columbia Mountains Institute 2004 Spring Events 29 Carnivores 2004, AZA Eastern and Western Regional Workshops, Bayou Teche Bear Festival 30 16th Int’l IBA Conference, 9th Western Black Bear and 18th Eastern Black Bear Workshops IBA 31 IBA Officers and Council 32 Bear Specialist Group: About BSG, Expert Team Members 33 IBA Membership Application 35 IBA Publications Order Form Back About IBA & Mission Statement International Bear News, ISSN #1064-1564, quarterly newsletter of the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA). Editor: Teresa DeLorenzo, Design: Cynthia Cheney, 10907 NW Copeland St., Portland, Oregon 97229-6145, USA. Phone (503) 643-4008, Fax (503) 643-4072, Email [email protected], Website www.bearbiology.com/www.bearbiology.org. Back issues are available at www.bearbiology.com. Editorial Policy International Bear News welcomes articles about biology, conservation and management of the world’s eight bear species. Submissions of 750-1500 words are preferred, and photos, drawings and charts are appreciated. Submissions to [email protected] are pre- ferred, otherwise mail or fax to the address above. IBA reserves the right to accept, reject and edit submissions. Deadline for the May 2004 issue is April 15, 2004. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this issue. Artwork is copyrighted—do not reproduce without permission. Thank you to CityGraphics and Imaging, Portland, Oregon, USA for generously discounting the cost of printing. Membership Use the form on the page 33 to order or renew memberships, make donations, and update member information. 2 International Bear News February 2004 vol. 13, no. 1 Council News From the President Harry Reynolds Challenge Grant Success Conservation Fund to provide a Alaska Department of Fish and Game Donations from IBA members and vehicle for individual donors, 1300 College Road others interested in bears more than corporations, and foundations to use Fairbanks, AK 99701, USA matched the $10,000 challenge grant IBA’s expertise and commitment and Phone (907) 459-7238 that an anonymous donor made to make a positive contribution to bear Fax (907) 451-9723 benefit the 2004 IBA Grants Pro- conservation. This can be done in Email gram. Very sincere thanks go to the two ways: for the short term, one-to- [email protected] individuals and organizations that four years, donors can make contri- made this possible; especially to the butions that are immediately dis- The votes for the IBA election will anonymous donor who provided the bursed to projects that pass scientific have been counted by the time this stimulus. and conservation need criteria. For newsletter arrives. Regardless of the Including funds from the challenge the longer term, 10-20+ years, election’s outcome, there is no doubt grant, and those provided by the John contributions can be made to an IBA that members and bear conservation Sheldon Bevins Memorial Foundation fund from which income and capital will be well served by the new IBA and other donors, at least $35,000 is can be disbursed annually to the Council. Please renew your efforts to available to benefit global bear Grants Program for support of global be involved. Contact members of conservation projects. This is the programs. The Bevins Foundation Council and ask them to address second year in which a matching has been exceptional in its use of the concerns or problems you have to challenge has helped fund the IBA latter model. A group committed to make bear conservation or IBA more Grants Program, resulting in an making a substantial contribution by effective. Look to the future. An increase of almost 70% over the this approach has come forward and organization is made successful by the previous three years. It is especially would welcome additional donations active involvement of its members. important because this was at a time to make it a truly effective force for when financial markets were low, and bear conservation. Accomplishments disbursal of funds from the Bevins Many entities are not aware of and Challenges Foundation were correspondingly low. IBA’s existence or our science-based At the end of my term, it seems approach. Neither are they aware natural to assess whether IBA has Bear Conservation Fund that funds we raise go directly to continued to evolve in achieving our IBA members are experts and bear conservation, education, and mission, to evaluate what we’ve done leaders in bear conservation across scientific interchange — unlike many right during the last three years, and the globe. But knowing the critical other organizations, we are volun- to identify how we can improve. issues is not enough. We need to teers and nothing we raise goes to We have made substantial stem the downward spiral faced by compensate officers or pay for their progress. It has truly been rewarding at-risk bear populations. We need to expenses. (Expenses can be allowed to work with those on the IBA turn around conservation problems under exceptional circumstances, but Council. This is truly a very dedi- faced in many regions of the globe. then only for limited amounts with cated, talented and engaged group. Knowledge is crucial, but useless strict accountability.) They are not afraid to address tough without the funding to achieve The EDC prepared a proposal to issues and to make decisions based actions that are clearly necessary. I fund 33 priority projects contributed on what is best for bear conserva- feel strongly that the steps taken to by the IUCN Bear Specialist Group’s tion. We all owe them our thanks for tackle this dilemma give the Bear Expert Teams (see page 32). The their commitment. Critical review Conservation Fund initiative the amount necessary to fund these 33 and debate on matters of principle is greatest potential to affect global cornerstone programs totals $1.5 fundamental to a healthy and bear conservation of any IBA action million for the initial three-year effective organization. By that of the last three years. effort. The proposal would fund measure, we must be very healthy IBA’s Economic Development projects in Asia for sun bears, sloth because we have had some spirited Committee (EDC), led by Karen bears, and Asiatic black bears where debates! We can do better, but to Noyce and including Bruce McLellan, population presence and status, and make improvements, your continued Bernie Peyton, Jiska van Dijk, me critical information needed for input is important and necessary. and others, established the Bear focusing conservation efforts, are International Bear News February 2004 vol. 13, no. 1 3 Council News From the President, cont’d. often not known throughout these important polar bear treaty and better serve bear conservation. bears’ ranges. Other projects identi- provided written testimony that International Bear News provides an fied include holding scientific strenuously objected to the Bush excellent means to widely distribute training workshops in the five administration’s ruling to rescind a matters of common concern, but some countries with Andean bears, decision to reintroduce brown bears members have suggested that a list developing programs to reduce to Montana and Idaho. We provided serve might facilitate loans or dona- orphaning of brown bear cubs in science-based alternatives to the tion of needed equipment or solutions Europe, scientifically identifying governments of Slovenia and for specific problems that cannot wait factors that resulted in extirpation of Bulgaria concerning ill-advised for the quarterly newsletter. For issues bears in southern European Russia to proposed changes in estimates of of interest to all members, email enhance population recovery/ sustainable yield of brown bears and distribution is very useful as long as reintroduction efforts, and identify- in management approach. We urged member addresses are kept current. ing more effective measures for the U.S. Congress to rely on state We need better representation reducing international trade in bear management of hunting practices from bear conservationists from all parts. regarding baiting for American black regions occupied by bears. Perhaps The initiative to establish the Bear bears, and we urged the British this requires a change in the IBA Conservation Fund is presented in a Columbia provincial government of bylaws, but there are other obstacles prospectus available from Karen Canada to augment an at-risk that need to be overcome as well.