Scientific Research on the Kodiak Brown Bear

Priorities

The Kodiak Bear Trust places a high priority on funding research projects considered essential to sound management of Kodiak bears.
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The Trustees utilize information from a variety of sources to evaluate proposals for project support. In particular, Trustees give special attention to research needs identified in the “Kodiak Archipelago Bear Management and Conservation Plan,” the “Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge,” and advice of State and Federal biologists and managers working in the Kodiak Archipelago.

Future Research

Effective management of brown bears on the Kodiak Archipelago will require updated or new information. Priorities for research in the future include: bear density and habitat use on Afognak Island, population status of bears on eastside Kodiak Island and Sitkalidak Island, habitat selection and response of bears to structured bear viewing at Karluk Lake, movements and survival of bears that frequent dumps and other human habitats, and salmon escapement needs of bears at key feeding areas.

Past Studies

Examples of studies supported by the Kodiak Bear Trust include:

Impacts of hydroelectric development on brown bears
Estimates of brown bear density
Long-term productivity of female brown bears
Analyses of long-term data sets on movements, habitat use, and sport harvest
Comparison of bear use of O’Malley River under different forms of public use
Mathematical models to evaluate impacts of hunting
Evaluation of different foods used by bears
Genetic assays of bears across the archipelago

‍‍Long-term studies of female brown bears on Kodiak Island have revealed that they produce their first cub litters at an average age of 6 years. Nearly 70 percent of cubs survive their first year and cub litters are weaned when they are either 2 or 3 years old.

Study Details

Bear Density

Bear density on different parts of Kodiak Island has been estimated by conducting capture and resight studies on specific areas, conducting intensive aerial surveys in representative habitats, and extrapolating study and survey results throughout the Island.

Bear Movements

In recent years, the use of new GPS technology has allowed biologists to collect very detailed information on movements and habitat use of radio-collared bears.

Sitkalidak Bear Study

Sitkalidak Island (137 square miles) is located along the east side of Kodiak Island.

© 2014 Vic Barnes

Radio collared bears were used in 2012 to obtain a population estimate of 84 bears on the island.
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Photo © 2014 Vic Barnes

Study partners in the Sitkalidak bear study are the Kodiak Brown Bear Trust, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Safari Club International Foundation, Old Harbor Native Corporation and Koniag Regional Corporation.

Afognak Bear Study

This study is a cooperative effort involving Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Afognak Native Corportation, Dallas Safari Club, and the Kodiak Brown Bear Trust.

Photo © 2014 Larry Van Daele.

Female bears with GPS collars are monitored to improve understanding of movements and habitat use in a Sitka spruce forest landscape.

Publications

Select Research Publications on Kodiak Bears

ATWELL, G., D.L. BOONE, J. GUSTAFSON, AND V.D. BERNS. 1980. Brown bear summer use of alpine habitat on Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. International Conference on Bear Research and Management. 4:297-305.

BARNES, V.G., JR. 1990. The influence of salmon availability on movements and range of brown bears on southwest Kodiak Island. International Conference on Bear Research and Management. 8:305-313

BARNES, V.G., JR. 1994. Brown bear-human interactions associated with deer hunting on Kodiak Island. International Conference on Bear Research and Management. 9:(1): 63-73.

BARNES, V.G., JR. AND L.J. VAN DAELE. 2006. Productivity of female brown bears on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Job Completion Report for Challenge Cost Share Project. Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.

BARNES, V.G., JR. AND R.B. SMITH. 1997. Population ecology of brown bears on Aliulik Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Alaska. Final Report. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Project 94-237. U.S. National Biological Service and Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kodiak, Alaska.

BARNES, V.G., JR. AND R.B. SMITH. 1998. Estimates of brown bear abundance on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Ursus 10:1-9.

CLARK, W.K. 1957. Seasonal food habits of the Kodiak bear. Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. 22:145-149.

MILLER, S.D., G.C. WHITE, R.A. SELLERS, H.V. REYNOLDS, J.W. SCHOEN, K. TITUS, V.G. BARNES, JR., R.B. SMITH, R.R. NELSON, W.B. BALLARD, ARD C.C. SCHWARTZ. 1997. Brown and black bear density estimation in Alaska using radiotelemetry and replicated mark-resight techniques. Wildlife Monographs 133:1-55.

SCHWARTZ, C.C., K.A. KEATING, HARRY V. REYNOLDS, III, V.G. BARNES, JR., R.A. SELLERS, J.E. SWENSON, S.D. MILLER, B.N. McLELLAN, J. KEAY, R. McMANN, M. GIBEAU, W.F. WAKKINEN, R.D. MACE, W. KASWORM, R.B. SMITH, AND S. HERRORO. 2003. Reproductive maturation and senescence in the female brown bear. Ursus 14 (2): 109-119.

SMITH, R.B. AND L.J. VAN DAELE. 1990. Impacts of hydroelectric development on brown bears, Kodiak Island, Alaska. . International Conference on Bear Research and Management. 8:93-103.

SMITH, R.B., V.G. BARNES, JR. AND L.J. VAN DAELE. 1989. Brown bear-human conflicts in the Kodiak Archipelago, Alaska. Pages 111-119 in M. Bromley, ed. Proceedings symposium on bear-people conflicts. Government of Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada.

TROYER, W.A. 1961. The brown bear harvest in relation to management on the Kodiak Island. Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. 26:460-468.

TROYER, W.A. AND R.J. HENSEL. 1964. Structure and distribution of a Kodiak bear population. Journal of Wildlife Management 28(4):769-772.

VAN DAELE, L.J. 2007. Population dynamics and management of brown bears on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Dissertation. University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho.

VAN DAELE, L.J., V.G. BARNES, JR. AND R.B. SMITH. 1990. Denning characteristics of brown bears on Kodiak Island, Alaska. . International Conference on Bear Research and Management. 8:257-267.

VAN DAELE, L.J., V.G. BARNES, JR. AND JERROLD L. BELANT. 2012. Ecological flexibility of brown bears on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Ursus 23:21-29.

VAN DAELE, M.B., C.T. ROBBINS, B.X. SEMMENS, E.J. WARD, L.J. VAN DAELE, and W.B. LEACOCK. Salmon consumption by Kodiak brown bears (Ursus arctos middendorffi) with ecosystem management implications. Canadian Journal of Zoology 91:164-174.