Rub-tree selection by Andean bears in the Peruvian dry forest
| Autor: | Russell C. Van Horn, Jon E. Swenson, Jack D. Kleiner, Sam M. J. G. Steyaert |
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| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests geography geography.geographical_feature_category biology Land use Ecology Bursera graveolens Dry forest Management Monitoring Policy and Law biology.organism_classification 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences 010601 ecology Habitat Animal Science and Zoology Foothills Tremarctos ornatus Tree species Nature and Landscape Conservation |
| Zdroj: | Ursus. 29:58 |
| ISSN: | 1537-6176 |
| Popis: | To advance our knowledge on the rubbing behavior of Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus), we assessed characteristics of their rub-trees in the Peruvian tropical dry forest, where water is a rare and critical resource. We registered characteristics of rubbed and unrubbed trees and shrubs along bear trails in an area of approximately 100 km2 surrounding 7 waterholes in the western Andes foothills of Peru during austral summer 2014–2015. Analysis of 94 trees selected for rubbing (hereafter, rub-trees) and 253 available unmarked trees within a 5-m radius of each rub-tree showed that bears selected trees to rub that were relatively small and close to waterholes. Bears seemed to avoid the most common tree species, palo santo (Bursera graveolens), for tree-rubbing. We suggest that waterholes are important habitat features for Andean bears in the Peruvian dry forest, and that these sites be incorporated into conservation and land use management. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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