Movement and Activity Patterns of a European Brown Bear in the Cantabrian Mountains, Spain

Abstract

The first capture of a European brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Spain occurred in the National Hunting Reserve of Riano on 16 October 1985. An adult male was radio-marked and movements and activities were monitored until September 1988. Distances between daily radio-locations ranged from <0.1 km to 20.5 km and averaged 1.6 km. The 2 extremes were attributed to food availability, particularly winter-starved ungulates, and breeding. Seasonal home ranges varied from 39 km2 (fall/winter) to 1,272 km2 (breeding). Movements during 1987 and 1988 totaled 246 and 1,308 km2, respectively. Seasonal activity data from diel recordings (n = 92) indicated that the bear's activity was greatest during breeding period (43%). Diel activity patterns were crepuscular year-round. Daytime activity was lowest during post? denning and highest in fall/winter, averaging over 50% active. Food availability, breeding season, and levels of human activity were felt to be the most important factors influencing this bear's movements and activity patterns in the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain. Int. Conf. Bear Res. and Manage. 8:205-211 One of 4 remnant populations of European brown bear that remains today in southern Europe is located in the Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain. This popula? tion is distributed in an area of approximately 5,200 km2, is fragmented into 2 nuclei, and consists of approximately 60-80 individuals (Clevenger et al. 1987). In 1973, the Spanish government declared the brown bear a strictly protected species. Spain's signing ofthe Bern Convention for the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats in 1979, which was ratified in 1986, signaled the government's intent to adopt legislative measures and regulations necessary to protect the habitats of brown bears and other threatened endemic species. To develop sound conservation and management measures for brown bears, however minimal, baseline ecological information, primarily on movements, activ? ity, habitat selection, and food habits was needed. In 1985, such information did not exist for the Cantabrian population and a cooperative research project was initiated. That year we radio-marked the first and only bear captured during the study. In this paper we present data on the annual movements and activity patterns of that bear between 1985 and 1988. This research represents the collective effort of many people. Unwavering moral and physical support was provided by M.A. Campos, C. Chmielniak, L. Costa, P. Gonzales, A. Kuntz, O. Llamas, A. Lucio, R. Martinez, M. Saenz de Buruaga, S. Saguillo, J.A. Sanchez, J. Seijas, and T. Smith. Project funding was provided by the U.S. Spain Joint Committee for Scientific and Technical Cooperation and Wildlife Conservation International, Present address: Departamento de Biologfa Animal, Universidad de 24071 SPAIN. New York Zoological Society. The Direction General de Montes, Caza, Pesca y Conservation de la Naturaleza of the state of Castilla y Leon, provided trapping permits and organized assistance from game wardens in the study area. The senior author was supported by a grant from Spain's Ministry of Education and Science while preparing this paper.