Arctic | Mammals DOCTORATE POSTER PRESENTATION Polar bear behavioral response to vessel surveys in the northeastern Chukchi Sea, 2008-2014 Presenter: Kate Lomac-Macnair , klomacmacnair@gmail.com, Owl Ridge Natural Resource Consultants
Sheyna Wisdom , wisdom@aoos.org, Alaska Ocean Observing System Jose Pedro De Andrade , jandrade@ualg.pt, University of Algarve Julia Stepanuk , julia.stepanuk@stonybrook.edu, Stonybrook Univeristy Eduardo Esteves , eesteves@ualg.pt, University of Algarve
Evaluating the impacts of anthropogenic activities on Arctic wildlife is a key issue in current management and conservation strategies. With global climate change, expanding shipping routes, and increasing industrial development in the Arctic, the polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) faces new challenges to its survival. Polar bear behavioral response to vessel presence is not well-documented. During the 2008– 2014 Chukchi Sea Environmental Studies Program (CSESP), polar bear occurrence and behavioral data were collected during summer–fall vessel surveys and behavioral response to vessel presence by distance were examined. During this study, 56,901 km of observation effort occurred from 3 survey vessels, comprising 53,615.4 km in the Chukchi Sea and 3,285.6 km in the Southern Beaufort. A total of 42 groups (50 individuals) of polar bears were recorded; 33 groups (42 individuals) were in the Chukchi Sea and the remaining 8 were in the Southern Beaufort Sea. The majority 74% (n = 31) of observations of polar bear groups occurred on ice. The remaining 26% (n = 11) of the groups were observed in water. Over half of the groups exhibited a behavioral response (i.e., vigilance or flee) including all groups of mothers with cubs (n = 5). When no response occurred, mean distance was 2,001 m (SD = 1,368.1 m), when vigilance occurred, mean distance was 951 m (SD = 654.5 m), and when flee occurred mean distance was 280 m (SD = 226.8 m). All flee responses occurred at distances of < 600 m and all vigilance responses occurred at distances of < 2,085 m. As distance increased, frequency of behavioral responses decreased. A multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that mothers with cub(s) were much more likely to flee or to be vigilant than were single adults (log(odds) = 18.022 and 9.718 with P < 0.01)). Logistic regression analysis further revealed that response was associated with distance and the model indicated the estimated distance at which 50% of the polar bears would exhibit a behavioral response to be 1,645 m. These findings are relevant to assess potential impacts of increasing vessel activity in the Arctic and to assist in the development of effective monitoring and mitigation strategies for polar bears.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 269
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