International Bear News Quarterly Newsletter of the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) and the IUCN/SSC Bear Specialist Group November 2004 vol. 13, no. 4 Female American black bear with white cub named Maskwa, page 29. IBA website: www.bearbiology.org/www.bearbiology.com Table of Contents Council News 3From the President 5 Revised Grants Program Application 6Ways to Donate Money to Bears 8 Bart Schleyer, Requiem for a Special Friend Bear Specialist Group 10 Bear Specialist Group Notes: Where Are the Bears? 11 Bear Specialist Group Coordinating Committee Eurasia 12 Brown Bear Observation in the Damodar Kunda Valley, Mustang District, Nepal 15 Moon Bear Phylogeography 16 Recent Bear-Human Conflicts in Japan 18 Central Russia Brown Bear Expansion in Areas of Strong Forest Fragmentation 19 Georgia Bear Survey 20 Bear Management Plan for Croatia Completed 21 Slovakia and Poland: Different Countries, Different Attitudes 24 Greece Common Declaration from NGOs Arcturos & Callisto 25 Callisto, Wildlife and Nature Conservation Society Americas 26 First Essay of Semen Collection in an Andean Bear in Peru 27 Intag Andean Bear Project Update Managing Carnivores in Colombia’s Central Andes 28 Fronti, the Andean Bear Goes to Your School B.C. Grizzly Bear Plan Released Churchhill Northern Studies Funding Opportunity 29 Maskwa: The White Bear Cub McNeil River Access Permits 30 Yellowstone Grizzly Mortalities Memorial Bear Fund Grants 2005 31 The Bear Facts, The Story of a North Carolina Treasure Florida Update New Jersey Black Bear Hunt Captive Bears 32 Captive Bears in India — A Brief Overview 34 Construction of Large Bear Enclosures in European Zoos 35 Bulgarian Sanctuary for Ex-Dancing Bears Student Forum 36 Truman Student List Serve Funding — Part 2: Effective Networking — Investing Where it Counts 37 Student Spotlight: Alexandros Karamanlidis, Greece Bears in Culture 38 Callisto in Greek Mythology Events 39 18th Eastern Black Bear Workshop — Florida, USA 40 16th IBA Conference — Italy 42 17th IBA Conference — Japan 43 18th IBA Conference — Mexico IBA 44 IBA Officers and Council 45 IBA Membership Application 47 IBA Publications Order Form Back About IBA and 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. Submis- sions of 750-1500 words are preferred, and photos, drawings and charts are appreciated. Submissions to [email protected] are preferred, otherwise mail or fax to the address above. IBA reserves the right to accept, reject and edit submissions. Deadline for the February 2005 issue is January 15, 2005. 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 45 to order or renew memberships, make donations, and update member information. 2 International Bear News November 2004 vol. 13, no. 4 Council News From the President Harry Reynolds In Memory: Bart Schleyer remaining 20-50 Gobi bears (brown Alaska Department of Fish and Game During mid-September, Bart bears) in captivity to improve 1300 College Road Schleyer left his last tracks near Reid husbandry for future release. Fairbanks, AK 99701, USA Lakes in the wilderness of the Yukon The texts of the letters are available on Phone (907) 459-7238 Territory of northwestern Canada the IBA website: www.earbiology.com. Fax (907) 451-9723 (page 8). Bart was a very capable Based on their concern for the Email [email protected] biologist, dedicated to conservation of Gobi bear, which is viewed as a [email protected] bears and other large carnivores, national treasure in Mongolia, the especially big cats, and was at home in government is convening a work- wild country in many parts of the shop on 2-3 November 2004. The In interior Alaska, mid-October world. He was a forthright, direct purpose will be to explore effective means the calls of the loons are person who lived life and loved friends strategies to allow the bear popula- silent on the lakes and the last of the to the fullest. Bart received their warm tion to recover. A number of IBA sandhill cranes are dancing in regard in return, and would likely say members, including me, will attend California and Mexico instead of he’d gotten the better end of the deal. this meeting. We will prepare a outside my office window. Winter, as Those who knew Bart well put it this report on the outcome of this I’ve come to expect it, hasn’t come way, “With Bart, what you see is what endeavor for the next newsletter. to Fairbanks yet but should settle in you get.” Bart, we miss you. soon. In this part of the country, IBA Conferences: American black bears are usually at IBA Council Activities Italy and Beyond their dens or nestled inside by the The Council acts on behalf of IBA’s IBA’s next conference will be held third week in September. By now the members to keep the association an in Riva Del Garda, Italy, 27 Septem- den mouths of female brown bears effective and driving force for bear ber–1 October 2005 (page 40). This should have been drifted with snow conservation across the world. We important international conference and the last adult males would be apply a simple test to decisions: does it will not only be held in the heart of pulling in grass and brush to line the further bear conservation as outlined Europe, it is also the heart of the bear beds of their dens. But by October in the IBA Mission Statement goals country remaining in the Italian 15, the ice on the north coast was and objectives (back cover)? Alps. The deadline for abstract/ still 120 km offshore of the Arctic In the last two years, the IBA summary submissions is 30 April 2005. National Wildlife Refuge, one of the Council has approved the following A primary goal of holding an IBA most important on-shore maternal issue statements, input or letters to conference in such a spectacular denning areas for polar bears in national or regional governments on setting is to emphasize to govern- Alaska. In the past, pregnant female timely issues important to bear ments and agencies that ecosystems polar bears should have been on land conservation: supporting bear populations are and about to den. How much this • To the governments of Slovenia, important. This recognition is often pattern could change with the Bulgaria, and the state of Alaska, USA, crucial to success for bear conserva- changing ice conditions isn’t well either proposing appropriate harvest tion. It says not only that bears are of known yet. limits or methods and appropriate bear local and national importance, but Are we feeling the effects of global population management; that the international community is warming? And just how would • To the government of British very aware of national policy issues changing weather patterns and Columbia, Canada, suggesting that affect bears. temperatures affect all species of bears, augmentation of the North Cascades Plan to attend the 17th IBA here and throughout the world? IBA brown bear population to avoid its international conference in members will be among the first to further depletion; Karuizawa Town, Nagano, Japan on address these problems and to seek • To the USA Congress, opposing 2-6 October 2006. (page 42). This solutions to benefit human under- legislation to prohibit carefully- will be the first IBA conference held standing and acceptance of bears in regulated use of bait on public lands in Asia, where little is known about our global ecosystem. It is our collec- for hunting American black bears; and, the status of many populations and tive responsibility. • To the government of Mongolia, some species of bears. relating to a plan to place the International Bear News November 2004 vol. 13, no. 4 3 Council News From the President, cont’d. During fall 2007, the 18th IBA proposals for bear research, manage- For a copy of the Bear Conservation conference will be held in Monterrey, ment, education, and community Fund prospectus, contact Karen Noyce Mexico (page 43). I understand that support for conservation. Most of the (page 44), chair of the Bear Conserva- bear populations are still present Grants Program funds go to areas tion Fund committee. within sight of the conference and for species where the need is Review Bernie Peyton’s article on setting. This will be our first Ameri- greatest and the benefit for support is page 6 about ways to benefit bears and cas conference held outside of the highest. As a result most grants have yourself by donating to IBA. USA and Canada. been awarded for proposals in Asia You can also support bear conser- The IBA Council considers applica- and South America, with much less vation and IBA by providing a tions from potential conference to Europe and North America. None membership to a deserving person hosts at any time. The schedule of these funds have gone to support from a developing country who outlined in the IBA Bylaws calls for other IBA programs, or to compen- could not otherwise afford the cost our 2008 conference to be held in sate officers and council members (use the form on page 45).