WCS 3-Sentence Science

Human Foods and Black Bears

February 7, 2020

CREDIT: JON BECKMANN

Each year, Wildlife Conservation Society scientists publish more than 300 peer-reviewed studies and papers. “WCS 3-Sentence Science” is a regular tip-sheet — in bite sized helpings — of some of this published work.

Here we present work by WCS’s Jon Beckmann on the impact of human refuse on conflict between people and black bears.

1. Researchers tested hair samples to determine how black bears (Ursus americanus) coexist with humans and increasing urban sprawl in western Nevada where hotels, casinos, restaurants, and homeowners dispose large quantities of high-protein, calorie-rich foods, often in unsecured waste containers.
2. They found only a 3.8 percent difference in the median use of human foods between urban and wildland bears, but great variability for individual bears in each location category.
3. The results affirmed that to effectively address human–bear conflicts officials should emphasize exclusion of human food attractants on a year-round basis and further try to understand factors affecting individual bear use of garbage.

Study and Journal: “Assimilated diet patterns of American black bears in the Sierra Nevada and western Great Basin, Nevada, USA” from Ursus
WCS Co-Author(s): Jon Beckmann, Director of Science, Rocky Mountain West Program

For more information, contact: Stephen Sautner, 718–220–3682, ssautner@wcs.org.