18th International Conference on Bear Research & Management 18ava Conferencia Mundial Sobre la Investigación y Manejo de Osos November 4-11, 2007 Monterrey, Nuevo León, México 18th International Conference on Bear Research & Management INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR BEAR RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT The IBA sponsors international conferences and workshops about bear biology, research, and management. The International Conference on Bear Research & Management is the largest of these conferences and is focused on all 8 bear species. The International Conferences are rotated between the Americas and Eurasia on an 18-month rotation. The International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) is a non-profit tax-exempt (USA tax # 94-3102570) organization open to professional biologists, wildlife managers and others dedicated to the conservation of all bear species. The organization has over 550 members from over 50 countries. It supports the scientific management of bears through research and distribution of information. The IBA sponsors international conferences on all aspects of bear biology, ecology and management. Many of the conference papers are published as peer-reviewed scientific papers in the journal Ursus. The eight bear species of the world pose significant research and management problems to governments, local authorities, wildlife biologists, land managers, park personnel, tribal councils, and private land owners. The public endures hardships caused by bears; the public wants bears to survive. Management responsibility for the bears and their habitats rests with numerous national and local agencies and councils. Encroaching civilization, involving land-use conflicts and resource utilization by human beings, has resulted in the decline or disappearance of bear habitat and bear populations in portions of their ranges. Continued viability of populations and the possible restoration of bears in certain areas, will be largely contingent upon a cooperative approach towards research, management, land use, and education, and will increase in cost as land values escalate. The IBA, an association primarily of professional biologists with an interest in bears, recognizes these difficult bear research and management problems faced by agencies and governments. Thanks to Our Sponsors Additional funding was recieved from Grupo Acero del Norte, DORRSA, Parque Ecologico Chipinque, and the Denver Zoo. We would also like to thank our special friends who went beyond the expected to help bring this conference to life: David Garza Laguera & Norma Alaniz, Elizabeth Spence Sellers, Katharine Armstrong Love, Cina Alexander Forgason, Othon Ruiz Montemayor, and the Martínez / Pámanes family of Monterrey. Special appreciation goes to Maria Guerra, Maria Eugenia Rodriguez, Becky Trant, Chris Reopelle, Jere Sepulveda, Yolanda Ballard, and Charity Lawson for their help. Guillermo Palomares of Impulsora de Rentas y Servicios privided excellent services and went beyond what was required to help us with arrangements. Arturo May provided translation services, as always, with a touch of humor. We also thank all of our volunteers and students from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon and Texas A&M University-Kingsville who have worked so hard. Conference Committees Co-chairs Diana Doan-Crider and David G. Hewitt Arrangements Presentations and Data Management • Angelica Pamanes de Reynoso • David G. Hewitt • Maria Guerra • Andrew Tri • David Garza Laguera • Maria Eugenia Rodriguez Public Relations & Graphics • Diana Doan-Crider Bear Specialist Group Chairs • Sergio Aviles • Dave Garshelis • Hector Villalon • Bruce McClellan Session Chairs Best Presentation / Poster Competition • Diana Doan-Crider • Karen Noyce • Sean Farley • Rachel Mazur • Elizabeth Peacock • Marty Obbard Decorations & Graphics • David G. Hewitt • Diana Doan-Crider • Piero Genovesi • Nahum Sanchez • Shenaendoah Garcia-Rangel • Emma Rangel • Raymond Skiles • Dayana • Jon Arnemo • Socorro • Alexandros Karamanlidis • Mei-Hsiu Hwang Embassy Relations • Diana Doan-Crider Student Forum & Auction • Martha Teissier • Brian Scheick • Ana Montiel Arreaga • Ximena Velez-Liendo • Andreas Zedrosser Expo Oso! • Ana Montiel Arreaga • Jose Ramirez • Samara Ferrara Transportation • Alan Lopez Field Trips • Jorge Villarreal Gonzalez • Arturo Caso • Gilberto Salgado de los Santos • Sasha Carvajal • Enrique Guadarrama • Eduardo Alaniz • Andres Marcelo Sada Travel Grants • William Breen Murray • Karen Noyce • Jose Ramirez • Rodrigo Medellin Legorreta • Barbara Alejandro de Holschneider • Andrew Derocher • Djuro Huber Lodging & Registration • Fresia Pámanes Martínez UANL Student Coordinator & Liasion • Ana Soler • Juan Homero Lopez • Maira Pámanes • Daniel González Workshops • Hector Villalon • Gary White Poster Session • Gustavo Sepulveda • Jeff Stetz • Elsa Cardenas • John Boulanger • Amy McCleod • Mariano Becerril • Jon Arnemo • Rick Mace • Asa Fahlman • Mark Boyce • Nahum Sanchez • Bruce McClellan • Michael Proctor • Dave Garshelis EXPO OSO! TETON WELDING PARQUES Y VIDA SILVESTRE DE NUEVO LEON TELONICS TELENAX BEARSAVER DANIEL TOBON PHOTOGRAPHY JOSE RAMIREZ TEE SHIRTS, ETC. CONSEJO ESTATAL DE FLORA Y FAUNA DE NUEVO LEON PARQUE NACIONAL CUMBRES BEAR TRUST INTERNATIONAL CEMEX BEAR VIEWING ASSOCIATION FAUNA ARTISTICA ARTE EN ROCAS PARQUE ECOLOGICO CHIPINQUE TELEVILT TRADICION DE ARTEAGA ARTE FREGOSO LOTEK VECTRONIC GET BEAR SMART SOCIETY Table of Contents Program.................................................................................................................................................1 Session 1: Bear Research, Management, and Conservation in Mexico...............................................9 Session 2: Bear Foods & Nutrition......................................................................................................17 Session 3: Polar Bears........................................................................................................................27 Session 4: Population Estimation........................................................................................................33 Session 5: Bear Management & Conservation....................................................................................41 Session 6: Bear Behavior....................................................................................................................53 Session 7: Andean Bear Research, Management, & Conservation....................................................61 Session 8: Human Bear Interaction / Conflict.......................................................................................67 Session 9: Bear Physiology.................................................................................................................71 Session 10A: Spatial Analysis & Spatio Temporal Relationships.........................................................77 Session 10B: Spatial Analysis & Spatio Temporal Relationships.........................................................87 Genetics Workshop - Fundamentals of DNA Sampling and Estimation of Population Size and Density.................................................................................................................97 Genetics Workshop - Monitoring Bear Population Trends in Forested Environments........................101 Genetics Workshop - Planning and Conducting Noninvasive Genetic Research...............................105 Bear Management in Mexico..............................................................................................................109 Anaesthesia and Monitoring...............................................................................................................113 Posters...............................................................................................................................................143 Program Time Activity / Presentation Title Location / Author SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4 All Day Airport Shuttle Holiday Inn, other hotels All Day Vendor Setup Canada (Expo Oso!) 10:00 - 5:00 pm IBA Council Meeting Antarisuites Conference Room 9:00am - 8:00 pm Early Check-In Holiday Inn Fundidora Lobby 6:00pm - 9:00 pm Cocktail Welcome Museo El Obispado (pending) MONDAY NOVEMBER 5 All Day Airport Shuttle Holiday Inn, other hotels All Day Registration Desk Vestibule - Cintermex All Day Translation Services Desk Vestibule - Cintermex All Day IBA Membership / URSUS Booth Vestibule - Cintermex All Day Assistance Table (Help Desk, Travel Information) Vestibule - Cintermex All Day Information TV Screens Vestibule - Cintermex All Day Small group discussion tables Vestibule - Cintermex All Day Expo Oso! Canada Hall All Day Poster Setup Canada Hall All Day Workroom, presentation practice room, meeting room America Hall All Day Presentation Downloads Africa Hall All Day Office, coordinator work room, storage room Asia Hall SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS SESSION 1: BEAR RESEARCH, MANAGEMENT, & CONSERVATION IN MEXICO USA Hall Diana Doan-Crider 8:30 -9:00 am Welcome & Inauguration Dr. Ernesto Enkerlin, Commissioner National Protected Areas of Mexico 9:00 - 9:20 am INVITED: Bears in Mexico: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Diana Doan-Crider, Gilberto 1 Salgado Santos, & Oscar Infante Mercado 9:20 - 9:40 am The Black Bear in a Tropical Cloud Forest: Local Community Sasha Carvajal Villarreal, 2 Participation in the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve Project David S. Maehr, Arturo Caso, and Guadalupe Marin Berrones 9:40 - 10:00 am Population Dynamics and Corridor Protection for American Black