Human-bear coexistence in human dominated and politically fragmented landscapes. BOOK OF ABSTRACTS Ljubljana, Slovenia 16 - 21 September 2018 Conference Venue: The Grand Hotel Union www.lifewithbears.eu #lifewithbears Book of Abstracts available #26thIBAconference @www.lifewithbears.eu 1 Published by: University of Ljubljana Cover design and layout: Anja Nič Editor: Aleksandra Majić Skrbinšek Edition: e-book Ljubljana, 2018 Suggested citation: Majić Skrbinšek A. (Ed.), 2018, Human-bear coexistence in human dominated and politically fragmented landscapes. Abstract book of the 26th International conference on Bear Research and Management, 16- 21 September, Ljubljana, Slovenia. ISBN 978-961-6410-52-6 (pdf) COBISS.SI-ID: 296548096 2 SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM COMMITTEE 26TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BEAR RESEARCH MANAGEMENT “Human-bear coexistence in human dominated and politically fragmented landscapes.” Ljubljana, 16 - 21 September 2018 Conference Venue: The Grand Hotel Union Coordinator: Aleksandra Majić Skrbinšek, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Biology Department, Ljubljana, Slovenia Members: Alexandros A. Karamanlidis, ARCTUROS, Civil Society for the Protection and Management of Wildlife and the Natural Environment, Aetos, Greece & Rewilding Europe, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Anja Molinari Jobin, Italian Lynx Project, Tarvisio, Italy Claudio Groff, Servizio Foreste e Fauna – Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Italy Đuro Huber, Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia Frank T. van Manen, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, Bozeman, Montana, USA Ivan Kos, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Biology Department, Ljubljana, Slovenia Georg Rauer, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria Klemen Jerina, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Forestry Department, Ljubljana, Slovenia Marta De Barba, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France Martyn Obbard, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada Miha Krofel, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Forestry Department, Ljubljana, Slovenia Seth Wilson, W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation – University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA and Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative, Jackson, WY, USA Slaven Reljić, Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia Rok Černe, Slovenia Forest Service, Ljubljana, Slovenia Tomaž Skrbinšek, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Biology Department, Ljubljana, Slovenia 3 CONTENTS INVITED SPEAKERS 4 Tom Smith: Chronicling Human-Bear Conflict: Commentary and Caveats 5 Valeria Salvatori: EU LIFE programme contribution to bear conservation 6 Andrés Ordiz: “Overview of human effects on bear behavior in human-dominated landscapes 7 John D C Linnell : Coexistence: what is it, and how do we get there? 8 Djuro Huber: Half a century of IBA Conferences – an illustrated evolution 9 Rachel Hoffmann 10 ORAL PRESENTATIONS 11 Session: Bear ecology, behaviour and physiology 11 Session: Bears and climate change 31 Session: Bears and society 36 Session: IUCN Bear Specialist Group: What would have been without us? 47 Session: Human-bear interactions and management 53 Session: Molecular genetics in bear conservation and management 71 Session: Spatial requirements and demographic characteristics of bear populations 77 POSTER PRESENTATIONS 87 Session: Bears and climate change 126 Session: Bears and society 127 Session: Ex situ conservation 146 Session: Human-bear interactions and management 147 Session: Molecular genetics in bear conservation and management 175 Session: Spatial requirements and demographic characteristics of bear populations 188 4 INVITED SPEAKERS TOM SMITH: CHRONICLING HUMAN-BEAR CONFLICT: COMMENTARY AND CAVEATS Brigham Young University Biography Dr. Tom S. Smith began a career in bear biology in 1992 when hired as a research ecologist for Katmai National Park, Alaska. Research topics at the time included brown bear ecology, human-bear interactions and bear safety research. Working jointly with Dr. Stephen Herrero, Smith has co-authored papers on human-bear conflict including the efficacy of bear deterrents and histories of bear conflict in North America. In the early 2000s, as a USGS research scientist, Smith began work with polar bears, focusing on denning ecology and human-bear interactions on Alaska’s North Slope. Working closely with Polar Bears International, his studies of denned polar bears continues to present. Most recently, he has been studying sloth bear-human conflict in India with colleagues at India’s Wildlife SOS. Smith currently serves as a member of the Polar Bear Conflict Work Group and as a professor of wildlife at Brigham Young University, Utah. Abstract Effective bear conservation is a challenging and multifaceted task faced by biologists and managers worldwide. Studies of bear habitat relationships, ecology, behaviour, physiology, and conflict with humans are critical for maintaining species’ viability. Conflict with humans is not only bad for both the bear and persons involved, but also impedes conservation efforts. It is a difficult task to promote the conservation of a species that occasionally maims and kills people. Chronicling human-bear conflict is essential if we are to understand why these events occur. Insight gained from well-documented and analysed incidents helps to inform bear safety messaging that, in turn, lessens conflict. n this presentation, I discuss the importance of human-bear conflict databases. Additionally, I present how we can use those data to inform bear safety messaging in such a way that reduces conflict. Finally, I present caveats associated with these data, and suggest how we might avoid the pitfalls of over-reach when it comes to data interpretation. 5 VALERIA SALVATORI: EU LIFE PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTION TO BEAR CONSERVATION Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, Via B. Eustachio 10 – IT 00616 Rome Biography Wildlife conservation, applied research and management are the main interests of Valeria Salvatori. She has worked in international environments collaborating with foreign research institutes since 1992, gathering working experience in South America, Africa, Central and Western Europe. Spatial analyses of environmental processes, mainly wildlife management, policies and conflicts between wildlife and local communities are the subjects of her latest working activities. She has extensive experience in evaluating, elaborating and managing LIFE projects on large carnivores. She acted as project coordinator for the following LIFE projects: LIFE COEX, LIFE ARCTOS, LIFE IBRIWOLF, LIFE MEDWOLF and provided consultancy for LIFE WOLFALPS. Her current position at Istituto di Ecologia Applicata in Rome, Italy is project responsible for the service contract with the EU for establishing local stakeholder platforms for promoting coexistence with large carnivores. Abstract Since its launch in 1992 the EU LIFE programme has supported the Member States in their efforts for the implementation of the EU Habitats Directive through co-funding of specifically targeted projects aimed at improving the conservation status of species or habitats of community interest. The conservation of Brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Europe has been strongly supported by the implementation of 71 projects, of which 60 exclusively targeting bears. The most targeted populations are the smallest European ones (Cantabrian, Pyrenean, Alpine, Apennine) with the implementation of 52 projects.The overall contribution of the EC for bear conservation through LIFE programme can be estimated at over 47Mio Euros, with an amplification effect promoted by co-funding (total project costs over 71Mio Euros).Most projects were implemented by NGOs or local authorities responsible for bear management, thus increasing the probability that conservation actions could be continued after the project’s end.Other targeted populations include the Dinaric-Pindos one and the Carpathian one. These are very large population that are distributed over many countries and in particular for the Dinaric- Pindos one projects have been implemented at local scales by different countries in various segments of the population. The impact of LIFE projects is evident for the smallest populations, with a significant increase in their conservation status (e.g., Cantabrian and Alpine populations), but also for larger populations the activities implemented have provided a significant contribution at local level, triggering demonstration effects through implementation of best practice actions. While the first projects (up to 1996) where characterised by general conservation interventions, the ones from 1997 were more focused on specifically identified threats, although they not always were coherent with those identified by the IUCN red listing. This incoherence is justified by the scale of implementation of LIFE projects, most often local, where specific context related threats may not be relevant at population of State level. Social issues have been increasingly targeted, reflecting the general trend of increasing social conflicts Europe-wide. LIFE programme represents a solid instrument for European Brown bear conservation and should continue to play this key role in the future. 6 ANDRÉS ORDIZ: OVERVIEW OF HUMAN EFFECTS ON BEAR BEHAVIOR IN HUMAN-DOMINATED LANDSCAPES Faculty of Environmental