Population parameters and harvest risks for polar bears (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ursus maritimus</Emphasis>) of Kane Basin,Canada and Greenland |
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Authors: | Mitchell K Taylor Jeff Laake Philip D McLoughlin H Dean Cluff Erik W Born Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid François Messier |
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Institution: | (1) Department of the Environment, Government of Nunavut, P.O. Box 209, Igloolik, NU, X0A 0L0, Canada;(2) National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, WA 98115, USA;(3) Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada;(4) Department of Resources, Wildlife, and Economic Development, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, NT, X1A 2P9, Canada;(5) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 570, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland |
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Abstract: | We estimated demographic parameters and current harvest risks for a population of polar bears (Ursus maritimus Phipps) inhabiting northern Smith Sound and Kane Basin, Canada and Greenland. Our demographic analysis included a detailed
assessment of age- and sex-specific survival and recruitment from 141 marked polar bears, using information contained within
the standing age distribution of captures and mark-recapture analysis. Total survival rates
for females were: 0.374 ± 0.180 (cubs), 0.686 ± 0.157 (ages 1–4), and 0.967 ± 0.043 (ages 5+). Mean litter size was 1.67 ± 0.08
cubs. Females did not reproduce until at least age 6, which is late compared to other populations of polar bears. The model-averaged,
mark–recapture estimate of mean abundance (±1 SE) for years 1994–1997 was 164 ± 35 bears. We incorporated demographic parameters
and their variances into a harvest risk analysis (i.e., a stochastic, harvested population viability analysis, PVA). Results
suggest that polar bears in the region were severely over-harvested during the mark–recapture interval (1992–1997). The current
status of the population is unknown. |
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Keywords: | Demography Harvest Mark– recapture Polar bear Population viability analysis (PVA) Program MARK Program RISKMAN |
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