Latest revision as of 13:40, 24 March 2017

Abstract

This study shows application experience of pulsar satellite radio beacons (Russian production) in studying brown bear ecology. During 2011–2013 three brown bears were equipped with satellite collars fitted with a radio beacon in the Primorsky region and the Kostroma region. The animals were tracked using satellite technology and telemetry. We obtained data on brown bear space use and daily and seasonal movements. Our results show possibility of using this method for the study and conservation of wild animals.

Keywords

Brown bear ; Ursus arctos ; Satellite radio beacon ; Satellite collar ; Animal ecology ; Telemetry

Introduction

Satellite beacons are widely used for the study of animal ecology (Webb et al ., 2008  ; Hebblewhite and Haydon, 2010 ; Tomkiewicz et al ., 2010  ;  Petrunenko et al ., 2011  ; etc.). They replaced the VHF radio transmitters, which for many years had been used in zoological studies (Mech, 1983 ; Sokolov and Sukhov, 1986 ; Kenward, 1987 ; Miquelle et al ., 1993  ;  Seryodkin, 2011 ; etc.). Nowadays radio telemetry and satellite technologies allow information to be obtained on the location of animals and their movements, extent of the territory, particular features of the space and habitat utilization, daily activity mode and other environmental issues that are important for understanding the ways to preserve the animals. Providing the opportunity for continuous and all-year-round monitoring of marked animals' displacements on vast territories and obtainment of highly accurate data on their location, the satellite beacons have led zoological research to a new level.

Although the ecology of the brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) has been diversely studied ( Bromley, 1965 ; Kudaktin, 1987 ; Pikunov, 1987 ; Pazhetnov, 1990 ; Danilov, 1991 ; Zheleznov, 1991  ;  Seryodkin, 2012 ; etc.), application of the contemporary research methods has potential to explore some of the predators ecology aspects crucial for its preservation and rational use. Production of the satellite beacons initiated in Russia facilitates their use for studying the many features of the brown bear and other types of wild animals such as reindeer (Okhlopkov et al., 2012 ).

Materials and Methods

Study of the brown bear ecology in the Sikhote-Alin biosphere reserve was carried out in the framework of the park joint program in association with the Wildlife Conservation Society and Pacific Geographical Institute, FEB RAS (Seryodkin, 2011 ). The research in “Kologrivskiy les” was implemented within the program “Research of the large predator and hoofed animals' ecology and habitat in the Federal State Budgetary institution “Kologrivskiy les” and cross-border territories with combined methodology” (Zaitsev and Chernyavin, 2012 ).

For the study of the brown bears pulsar radio beacons produced by the “ES-PAS” Ltd. (Moscow) were attached to the collars. The appliance contains GPS receiver that detects the location of the marked animal and transmitter that sends the geographic coordinates to the Argos system satellites. Then the satellites transmit the data to the terrestrial stations and afterwards to the researcher.

The bear trappings for marking purposes were implemented through the use of pad holding traps (Seryodkin et al., 2005 ). The traps were located on wood trails and oat field. The immobilization was carried out by application of remote injector 4V.310 (manufactured by Telinject, Germany) and anesthetic medication with Zoletil 100. Three brown bears were marked by the collars with radio beacons in two regions (Table 1 , Fig. 1 ). Trapped animals were weighed (Fig. 1 ).

Fig. 1. Weight measuring of the brown bear marked with the pulsar satellite beacon in the Sikhote-Alin reserve.

The approximate age of the animal was estimated by dental attrition. In 2011 two mature males were trapped on the wood trails in the Sikhote-Alin biosphere reserve (Dzhigitovka river basin, Dalnegorsk area, Primorsky region). Bear #1 and Bear #2 were marked with the collars on September 23 and October 12, respectively. Bear #3 was trapped on the oat field on September 18, 2013 in the Londushka river basin in the “Kologrivskiy les” state natural reserve (Kologrivskiy area, Kostroma region).

Results and Discussions

Tracking of Bear #1 was being implemented within one month (Table 1 , Fig. 2 ).

Fig. 2. Places of stay and displacement of two brown bears marked with GPS in Sikhote-Alin reserve in 2011.

The distance from the trapping location to the last destination point was 43 km, the maximum distance between the places of dwelling summed 44 km. The minimum distance covered by the animal per month, calculated as the sum of distances between proximate points summed 70 km. In nine cases it was possible to determine the lineal diurnal course of the bear (lineal distance between two locations in approximate time period of 24 h). The average indicator was 4 km with a minimum of 0.2 km and maximum of 17.5 km.

The monitoring of Bear #2 provided 113 points with the location coordinates determined by the GPS receiver (Table 1 ).

The maximum distance between the places of stay summed 46 km. The minimum distance covered by the bear during the entire monitoring period and calculated as a sum of distances between the points was 122 km. Detected 26 times the average lineal diurnal course was 2.8 km with minimum 0.07 km and maximum 9.3 km.

Bears #1 and #2 during the monitoring period were dwelling in the area of cedar and broadleaved forests. In this period they subsisted on Korean pine nuts (Pinus koraiensis ) accumulating the fat stores for the winter period. It is known that during the period fat storing Sikhote-Alin brown bears can make significant displacements ( Seryodkin et al., 2012 ). Minor diurnal displacements were interchanged by long distance walks (Fig. 2 ).

The first were caused by the intensive feeding with the nuts, while the second were related with the transits between river basins. Bear #1 had these transits longer making up to 17.5 km per day (lineal distance) at which time it crossed the main dividing ridge of the Sikhote-Alin region.

As distinct from its congeners from Sikhote-Alin reserve, during the period of monitoring Bear #3 was making minor displacements. The largest covered distance between the visited points summed 5 km only.

The application of satellite tracking enabled the analysis of individual brown bear displacements in the Primorsky and Kostroma regions. Also there is a positive experience of pulsar satellite beacon application in the Western Yakutia where bear tracking was carried out in 2012 (Nikolaev et al., 2012 ). There the average diurnal displacement distance of the bear was 13–19 km (maximum of 28 km). Therefore the experience of the pulsar beacon application has proved that they can be used successfully for the study of brown bear ecology in various regions of Russia. Obtained information through this equipment can be used for the analysis of diurnal course and seasonal displacements, calculation of the habitat areas and study of other animal ecology aspects. This scientific data can be used in the planning of activities on brown bear population control in hunting farms and natural areas of protection.

Acknowledgments

The work was implemented with the financial assistance of the joint grants of FEB RAS (CRDF-12-012 ) and CRDF (RUB1-7065-VL-12 ) featuring the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and “Kologrivskiy les” natural reserve. We are grateful to the administrations and teams of the Sikhote-Alin reserve, “Kologrivskiy les” reserve and Wildlife Conservation Society for the comprehensive assistance and participation in the present program, and also to the director of “ES-PAS” Ltd. A. Salman for the valuable recommendations on the equipment usage.

References

1. Bromley, 1965 G.F. Bromley; Bears of the south of the USSR Far East; Nauka, Moscow-Leningrad (1965)
2. Danilov, 1991 P.I. Danilov; Spatial organization and territorial relations of the brown bear in Karelia; B.P. Zavatsky, Yu.G. Shvetsov (Eds.), Bears in the USSR, Nauka, Novosibirsk, Russia (1991), pp. 54–61
3. Hebblewhite and Haydon, 2010 M. Hebblewhite, D.T. Haydon; Distinguishing technology from biology: a critical review of the use of GPS telemetry data in ecology; Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci., 365 (2010), pp. 2303–2312
4. Kenward, 1987 R.E. Kenward; Wildlife radio tagging: equipment, field techniques and data analysis; Academic Press, London (1987)
5. Kudaktin, 1987 A.N. Kudaktin; Migration of the brown bear in Caucasus and rational use of the natural resources; B.S. Yudin (Ed.), Bear ecology, Nauka, Novosibirsk, Russia (1987), pp. 97–103
6. Mech, 1983 L.D. Mech; Handbook of animal radiotracking; University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis (1983)
7. Miquelle et al., 1993 D. Miquelle, H. Quigley, M. Hornocker; The use of the radio telemetry for study of the Amur tiger; Bulletin of Moscow Society of Naturalists, 98(3), Dep. of biology (1993), pp. 63–72
8. Nikolaev et al., 2012 Е.А. Nikolaev, I.М. Okhlopkov, R.А. Kirillin, N.V. Mamaev; Displacement trackings of the brown bear (Ursus arctos ), marked by the satellite beacon in Western Yakutia  ; Yu.N. Litvinov (Ed.), Current issues of the contemporary theriology: reports theses (September 18–22, 2012, Novosibirsk), “Sibregion Info.” Ltd, Novosibirsk, Russia (2012), p. 210
9. Okhlopkov et al., 2012 I.М. Okhlopkov, R.А. Kirillin, Е.V. Kirillin, Е.А. Nikolaev, N.G. Solomonov, S. Tatsudzava; Migration of the wild reindeers during 2010–2012, tracked with the use of satellite radio beacons; Yu.N. Litvinov (Ed.), Current issues of the contemporary theriology: reports theses (September 18–22, 2012, Nov1osibirsk), “Sibregion Info” Ltd., Novosibirsk, Russia (2012), p. 173
10. Pazhetnov, 1990 V.S. Pazhetnov; Brown bear; Agropromizdat, Moscow (1990)
11. Petrunenko et al., 2011 U.K. Petrunenko, I.V. Seryodkin, D.G. Miquelle, C.S. Miller; Use of the GPS collars for studying and protection of the Amur tiger; ,in: V.V. Rozhnov (Ed.), Remote research methods in zoology, Materials of the scientific conference, Partnership of the Scientific Publications KМK, Moscow (2011), p. 69
12. Pikunov, 1987 D.G. Pikunov; Bear census in the mountain forests of the south of the Far East; B.S. Yudin (Ed.), Bear ecology, Nauka, Novosibirsk, Russia (1987), pp. 174–184
13. Seryodkin, 2011 I.V. Seryodkin; Programs of study and protection of the brown and black bears on the Russian Far East; ,in: V.S. Pazhetnov (Ed.), Bears. Contemporary condition of the species. Perspectives of the coexistence with humans, Material of the VIII Russian bear expert conference, Velikolukskaya printing, Velikie Luki, Russia (2011), pp. 276–281
14. Seryodkin, 2012 I.V. Seryodkin; Dietary intake of brown bears in the Sikhote-Alin; Achiev. Life Sci., 4 (2012), pp. 29–40
15. Seryodkin et al., 2005 I.V. Seryodkin, А.V. Kostyria, D.М. Goodrich, B.О. Schleyer, D.G. Miquelle, L.L. Kerley, K.S. Quigley, H.B. Quigley; Trapping and immobilization of black and brown bears with the purpose of marking radio-marking; Russ. J. Zool., 84 (12) (2005), pp. 1508–1515
16. Seryodkin et al., 2012 I.V. Seryodkin, D.G. Pikunov, А.V. Kostyria, D.М. Goodrich; The fall season in the lives of bears in the Sikhote-Alin reserve; A.A. Astafiev (Ed.), Sikhote-Alin biosphere district: condition of ecosystems and their components: Volume of scientific work: for the 75th anniversary of Sikhote-Alin reserve, Dalnauka, Vladivostok, Russia (2012), pp. 216–230
17. Sokolov and Sukhov, 1986 V.Е. Sokolov, V.P. Sukhov; The use of the beacons in research on animal activity; Russ. J. Zool., 65 (4) (1986), pp. 607–611
18. Tomkiewicz et al., 2010 S.M. Tomkiewicz, M.R. Fuller, J.G. Kie, K.K. Bates; Global positioning system and associated technologies in animal behaviour and ecological research; Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci., 365 (2010), pp. 2163–2176
19. Webb et al., 2008 N.F. Webb, M. Hebblewhite, E.H. Merrill; Statistical methods for identifying wolf kill sites using global positioning system locations; J. Wildl. Manag., 72 (2008), pp. 798–807
20. Zaitsev and Chernyavin, 2012 V.A. Zaitsev, P.V. Chernyavin; Abundance and distribution of the brown bear (Ursus arctos ) on the North East of the Central region of Russia, influence of the “Kologrivskiy les” reserve  ; Contemporary problems of the natural resource management, hunting management and animal breeding, GNU VNIIOZ, Kirov, Russia (2012), pp. 527–528
21. Zheleznov, 1991 N.K. Zheleznov; Spatial structure of the brown bear population on the North East and Kamchatka; B.P. Zavatsky, Yu.G. Shvetsov (Eds.), Bears in the USSR, Nauka, Novosibirsk, Russia (1991), pp. 190–211