Estimating the seasonal energy balance in Asian black bears and associated factors

Abstract

AbstractEnergy balance (i.e., energy intake minus energy expenditure) is an essential factor when evaluating an animal's nutritional state. We aimed to identify periods of the year that are most important for Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in terms of energy balance. We estimated bears’ daily energy balance by estimating energy intake based on the energy content (kcal/g) of major food items, their average ingestion rate (g/min), and daily feeding time (min) and by estimating energy expenditure using an equation for the costs of resting, traveling, and feeding based on behavioral data of 34 bears fitted with GPS collars in central Japan. Because food habits of bears change seasonally, we estimated daily energy balance for each month. And, because bears change their feeding behavior depending on the availability of hard mast, we made separate estimations for years of good and poor mast conditions during autumn. We identified major food items from fecal analysis and calculated the gross energy content per unit for each item. Based on direct observation of bears feeding over 10 yr, we measured ingestion rates of the major food items; Quercus crispula acorns on the tree had the highest ingestion rate, whereas the values of other items did not show notable characteristics. The variability of energy expenditure rose moderately in good mast years, except for males. On the other hand, there was a bimodal pattern of energy intake and energy balance, declining from May to July, rising again from August to October, and declining in November. The peak of energy intake and energy balance was larger in good mast years than in poor mast years only for females, whereas the cumulative energy balance in good mast years was larger than in poor mast years for both sexes. After poor mast years, the cumulative energy balance of males becomes negative in February, during hibernation, and did not exceed zero until August, even if they could start feeding in May. Thus, further longitudinal studies that examine cumulative energy balance, rather than energy balance alone, are necessary to clarify the seasonal change in the nutritional state of Asian black bears.