“After five months in the field last spring-fall, I am finally getting around to analysing my data on the social behaviour of grizzly bears! I am currently investigating the drivers of chemical signalling behaviour in grizzlies, how and when they communicate chemically, and what effect the presence of certain members of a populations (such as mature adult males) has on the communication behaviour of other age-sex classes. From my PhD research, we found evidence to suggest that chemical signalling behaviour in grizzly bears is linked to communicating dominance. What I now want to know is how this behaviour changes with varying population density, food availability and habitat characteristics. My study population of grizzlies in Knight Inlet is an ideal case study to examine these fluctuations and their effect on bear behaviour. For a species which is considered solitary, grizzly bears appear to have an extremely complex social system. Learning more about this system will help us to better understand their spatial and breeding behaviour, as well as potential consequences of environmental change.” –Melanie Clapham
Applied Conservation Science Lab
Chris Darimont and Team. Science Inspired by Nature, People, and Place.
